I Will Love You Always
by AmazingGraceless
Summary: Sequel to "Please Don't Catch Me." Kylo Ren has been redeemed into just Kylo, and is searching for his origins. Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker has come out of exile to train new Jedi Knights to fight against the Knights of Ren. As Rey searches her feelings about her traitor brother, Kylo and Rey's love is put to the test. Reylo, not-related AU. Mentions of the EU.
1. Just memories of a different life

It would go down in history as something Kylo would always regret. Two newly anointed Jedi Knights looked at the class of Padwans that Master Skywalker had given them to teach about the Force or something like that while he was in a meeting with General Solo and Supreme Chancellor Fey'la.

* * *

"Look," Luke said to the distressed couple. "I wouldn't be letting you teach if it weren't for the fact that Leia and I've both got to go to this, Poe and Finn are in a flight-training session with the rest of the Black Squadron, Tenel Ka's got a parenting class in fifteen minutes, I still haven't gotten Ben to go more than five feet from his bed, the last time I left Anakin in charge, there was glitter everywhere, and Tahiri scares them."

"Still, you want a former Sith Knight to teach younglings?" Kylo deadpanned.

"Remember, you have my niece to help you," Luke pointed out.

"Princess Vader?" He asked, and Rey elbowed him a little more sharply than was necessary.

"We've got this, Uncle Luke," she said, rolling her eyes. "Come on, Ky, let's see if you've secretly got a thing for kids."

* * *

Kylo scanned over the rows of Padwans, most of which were younglings, but there were a few adults, such as Kyle Katarn and Clighal. He took in a deep breath.

"Today we will be discussing the dark side of the Force," Kylo declared. Immediately, a boy with blond hair and dark eyes sitting next to a whiny boy Kylo had singled out as Rosh Penin earlier raised her hand.

"Yes-"

"Jaden Korr," the boy said. "And I was wondering, weren't you a Knight of Ren eight months ago?"

Kylo blushed furiously. His former involvement in the First Order was a weak point that people kept bringing up again and again.

"Yes," he admitted. "But I'm a Jedi Knight now-"

"But doesn't that make you a bad guy?" A red haired girl next to Jaden asked.

"I was," he admitted. "But now I'm a good guy because I've switched over?"

"Say it with a little more confidence," Rey hissed through gritted teeth of a smile.

"How else am I supposed to say it?" He hissed back.

"Just get on with it," Rey said, and she looked at a holocron. "This is a rare holocron of Revan. He was both Jedi and Sith and had the deepest understanding of the Force ever known."

The masked man that looked a lot like how Kylo once did appeared.

"I am Darth Revan. Both savior and conqueror, hero and villain, Jedi and Sith. Some of you will be one of those things. It will be your destiny to choose which," the figure explained.

"But what about Kylo Ren?" Jaden Korr continued. "Didn't he kill all of the last Padwans?"

The whole class went silent, and Rey turned off the holocron as the Padwans looked at each other nervously.

"I'm not here to kill anyone," Kylo said, looking tired as he said it.

That didn't stop everyone from lunging at the exit, which Rey darted to and used her old staff from Jakku to bar. Uncle Luke would kill her if she had a bunch of panicked Force-sensitives running around the ship.

"Would you all calm down?" Kyle Katarn demanded as he stood at the place where he'd been at the beginning of the class. "This man hasn't tried to hurt you, and he won't, or else Skywalker wouldn't have left you in a room with him!"

The Padwans began to see the sense in this logic, and settled down, but a middle-aged woman by the name of Callista Ming still eyed Kylo suspiciously.

"I can feel the dark side. It is strong within him," she said. "We would do better to take care of his threat now."

"Madam Ming," Rey said, putting on her sunniest smile. "With all due respect, I can assure you that Kylo wants nothing to do with the Knights of Ren. Now if we could get back to our lesson-"

Rey felt a buzz from her commlink. She lifted it to her ear.

"Commander Solo reporting for duty," she said.

"We need you down in the hanger bay," a gruff male voice that sounded a lot like Jagged Fel's said.

"Fine, I'll be there in five minutes," Rey said. She looked to Kylo and passed him the holocron. "I have to go take care of an emergency in the hanger. Good luck."

Kylo watched after her, and as soon as the door closed, Jaden Korr and his friends burst into laughter, but then most of the Padwans took an evil look in their eyes, except for Kyle Katarn, who looked very annoyed. The Padwans surged up faster than Kylo could blink, and they tackled him to the ground. After a very confusing five minutes, his lightsaber was gone, and everything was vaguely fuzzy. He felt a bit disoriented as he was sure that they were dragging him somewhere, but he didn't have the strength to fight back.

* * *

Rey rushed into the hangar, slightly out of breath. Several pilots looked at her, obviously disturbed. Wedge Antilles went from the debriefing board and came over to Rey, and gently put his hands on her shoulders.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"Someone called me down here," she said, distressed, and then she slapped herself in the forehead. "Certain Padwans aren't going to like it when a certain Jedi Knight finds them. Sorry, General Antilles, I gotta go."

Rey ran back to the classroom, to find it vacant except for Katarn, and Kylo's lightsaber lying deserted next to the holo-board.

"What happened?" She demanded.

"One, Jaden Korr has a surprisingly deep voice," Katarn began. "Two, the class ambushed your boyfriend, and three, I think they all went to get lunch."

"Where did they take him?" Rey asked as she picked up the junk lightsaber.

Katarn shrugged. "Who knows? Is class dismissed?"

"The others dismissed it for you," she snapped. "Thank you for staying behind to let me know."

* * *

Kylo decided that he'd had better days. He was hanging upside down, tied up by a bunch of midgets a few adults like Callista. He'd also decided that he was never teaching any class of Skywalker's ever again. He sighed as he tried to figure out his way out of this one.

* * *

Rey stormed over to the younglings' table.

"Alright, what did you do with Kylo?" She demanded.

"We gave him exactly what he deserves," Rosh Penin, Jaden's whiny friend said.

Rey's heart rose to her throat. "Tell me where you put him."

"He's in the sewage system, tied up in the room where it all goes," the redheaded girl said.

"Not the compression room!" Rey groaned. "You all are in big trouble when I get back!" She started running, hoping that she wasn't too late.

* * *

Kylo was feeling light-headed when the walls started closing in. At first, he hadn't really panicked, just thought it to be some illusion caused by all those surprisingly hard knocks to the head. When he felt the trash piling up, he started panicking and screaming.

Just as he could feel the metal on both sides of him, the machinery stopped whining. He sighed in relief as the walls retracted. He felt the ropes untie, wondering why the Living Force he hadn't thought of that as he fell rapidly towards the sewage water, only to be stopped centimeters from it.

He felt his body hover towards a fierce-looking Rey, who took him into her arms.

"You dropped this," she said as he stood up straight, and she handed him his lightsaber.

"Thanks, Princess Vader," he said as he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Would you have preferred I left you there?" She asked, arching her eyebrow at the dreaded nickname.

"Aw, you'd miss me," he said as they walked out. "I doubt _Anakin_ would cuddle you at night."

"Hey, I still haven't told my parents about that," Rey said with a playful smack on the butt.

"Why would you?" He asked as he slipped his arm around her.

"Apparently they knew when Tahiri moved in with Anakin," she explained. "And when Jacen moved in with Tenel Ka."

"Well, they don't have to know about that part of our relationship yet," he said. "But remember, you're mine."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," she said cheerfully. A little prick of darkness from the other side of her twin bond forced its way through, and Rey looked down at her shoes as she tried to regain control of her emotions.

"You miss Jacen, don't you?" He asked, picking up on her emotions and deliberately misreading.

"Jaysa is gone," she said stonily as she regained enough control to look at him. "Caedus is the monster in my brother's body."

"Don't tell me you really believe that," Kylo said.

"It's the truth," she said, looking disturbed.

"It wasn't for me," he said softly, stopping in front of her and holding her chin up.

The two were silent for a moment.

"I love you," she said, almost crying.

"I know," he said, holding her close as she let her tears flow.


	2. Some of laughter, some of tears

**AN: I forgot to mention, the song inspiration for this fic is "Always" by Bon Jovi. Enjoy.**

* * *

Jacen Solo paced the length of the throne room as he waited for "Supreme Leader" Snoke Ren to check in. His guards all in red waited outside. He could only be himself again here and in his quarters. The Callah came in, flanked by Shira Ren.

"Ah, Snoke Ren," Jacen said, turning to greet the head of the Knights of Ren. "I see you brought along a bodyguard."

"Shira is my Hand," Snoke said with a shrug as Shira bared her grin proudly.

"Ah, yes, I'd forgotten," Jacen lied. "How is the search for recruits going?"

"Zannah Ren has a particular gift for it," Shira admitted. "But Traya Ren has a talent for turning them. She knows how to do it, and she is the queen in that area."

"Good, good," Jacen said. "How far along is Starkiller Base?"

"We have constructed a fake planet around the base, and it is convincing. The Resistance will leave it alone," Snoke reported.

"Our time will come," Jacen said with a smile, a genuine one. "Soon, the Empire will crush the Resistance, and we will rule the galaxy forever."

Shira frowned, but Snoke smiled as well.

"A wonderful notion, my friend," he began, but Jacen frowned.

"Friend?" He raised an eyebrow. "I'd be careful, Snoke Ren. Remember your place. Remember who hired you into cushy existence and will win you your place in society? Remember who's really the Supreme Leader here?"

"Right, apologies, Lord Caedus," Snoke said as he bowed, and Shira reluctantly bowed next to him.

"Next time I won't be so kind," Jacen snarled, as a little part of him protested at acting like that. He had to keep it up, though, in order for any of his sacrifices to mean anything.

"You are merciful, Lord Caedus," Shira Ren said, and Jacen glared her into submission.

"Is that all?" Jacen asked.

The two Knights of Ren nodded.

"Then leave," he barked.

The two Knights scurried out, escorted by the guard. As soon as the door closed, Jacen ran his hands through his hair. He was only nineteen, and just this morning he found a gray streak in his hair. The toll of the dark side and his role as emperor was weighing him down heavily.

He sighed as he took out the picture of his family at the Praxeum when he was twelve, a few months before he first learned of the prophecy and was forced to choose. He missed them horribly, including his aunt. He could still hear her telling him that he was past redemption, that he was as bad as Palpatine.

Shira may have envied his position, but Jacen would've loved more than anything to let someone else bear this load. But someone had to do it. Tenel Ka was also in the picture. She would be due soon, he realized. There was still a chance he could rule with his daughter at his side.

The Emperor sat alone on his throne, crying.

* * *

Luke sighed as Rey and Kylo recounted their tale of teaching.

"At least you gave it your best," he said. "Thank you for trying. I'm going to put you on get-Ben-out-of-the-room duty. Maybe you'll be able to get him to go further then five feet to the bathroom, or Anakin and Tahiri's place next door."

"Are you sure I'm-"

"Kylo, just roll with it, we're running out of jobs for you to do because everyone's scared of you!" Luke said, losing his temper for the first time that Kylo had ever seen. "Yeah, you're a great pilot and a good Jedi, but you don't have many jobs left. It's because you let your fear of the dark side take you over."

"I'm afraid of being the way I was before again," Kylo admitted, very aware of Rey being right next to him, who squeezed his friend.

"Have faith in yourself," Luke said. "But perhaps you should find your real name."

"So that I don't have a name that scares people?" Kylo asked.

"That's the spirit," Luke said. "Now I've gotta go, good luck with Ben."

He ran off, and Rey opened the door to see it mostly dark except for a lava lamp. Blankets and pillows were among many of the things tossed everywhere. Books, toys, it was everywhere. Kylo and Rey turned on their Force senses, and were immediately almost overwhelmed by the despair swirling from a big hump of blankets.

They stepped carefully, and uncovered Ben, in tissues and pajamas, looking absolutely miserable.

"You must've really loved Vestara," Rey murmured as she sat down beside him.

"It's not gonna work," Ben said as he closed his eyes. "I'm not moving."

"You've gotta move on sometime, buddy," Kylo said. "I know it hurts, but you've gotta do it."

"Says you two," Ben mumbled as he shifted so he didn't have to face them. "You're in love."

Rey and Kylo shared a glance where they managed to argue with each other for a solid minute only using their eyes, and okay, maybe a little bit of the Force.

"I know how heartbreak works," Kylo said. "Then again, maybe I don't have the most healthy emotional history."

A sound that took Rey and Kylo five minutes to realize was a laugh came out of Ben.

"There you go," Rey said as she rubbed Ben's back. "Laughter's good. We're making progress."

"It just hurts, so much," Ben said between sniffles. "My mom. My friends gone. Ves- I mean, Zannah, betraying me, Jacen being a traitor, and Tahiri."

"Tahiri's one of us now," Kylo pointed out.

"Thank the Force," Ben said. "I don't want another person to leave or betray. Even you, Kylo."

Kylo felt some of his own emotions coming along at that pathetic statement.

"We won't leave, we promise, Ben," Rey said softly as she hugged her cousin. Hugs, she thought, had a way of pushing the pieces of a shattered person back in place. A person like Ben.

* * *

Tahiri Veila sat in her ship, considering her life. She kept seeing the visions of Anakin dying, again and again since Jacen had made his final betrayal, and she'd made her choice. She'd sworn that Janus Ren would never be a part of her again.

Yet, with the visions coming back, she was remembering more and more why she had chosen that path in the first place. When you saw the love of your life vanishing into the light, never to be seen again, it was all you could do not to scream so you didn't wake him up beside you. Instead, she often opted for turning to see him, touch him, know that he was still there.

Tahiri had walked many paths. She had walked the path of the Tusken Raiders. She had been a Jedi Knight. A Knight of Ren. A leader of the Barefoot Squadron- named after her trademark lack of shoes anywhere and everywhere. There were a few paths she had not walked that she wished to.

Wife. Mother. Aunt. Daughter-in-law. Sister-in-law.

"Tahiri, can you help me fix my ship?" Anakin asked.

"Oh, what?" Tahiri jumped. "Sure. Just give me a minute."

Anakin's facial expression softened. "Are the dreams really coming back again?"

She blushed, having forgotten Anakin's almost unconscious sense of intuition with the Force.

"They're just nightmares," she said, and she hopped down. She would never become that kind of Knight again for anything.

* * *

"Kira Ren is supervising our drills today, soldiers!" Captain Phasma announced. There was the sound as if thousands had groaned in hatred of a particular Knight of Ren, only to be silenced by Phasma briefly turning off her radio to regain her cool.

"Soldiers! We owe the Knights of Ren a great deal for their services towards the First Order and our Emperor!" She barked. "Now in your squad lines!"

Hux came up to her, looking busy, so she took her helmet off, shaking out her blond hair.

"What do you want?" She demanded.

"Did you hear about-"

"Kira Ren? Absolutely," Phasma said.

"No, Starkiller Base!" Hux shrieked.

"No, why?" Phasma asked.

"Your legion is going, that's why Kira Ren is inspecting you," he explained.

"Oh." Phasma and Hux shared a look. This jeopardized their mission to rescue Kylo Ren since those idiotic Knights of Ren couldn't do it. They were going to have to get creative.


	3. It's nothing but some feelings

Poe groaned. He had been called in _again_ to help do something or another, when he had ship to fix after his last clash with the Order! Normally, he was a nice guy, always helping people when he had the time, but now his reputation had become a little too much. Left and right, when he had something he had to do, he would be asked to help with something. He just couldn't say no, though, no matter how hard he tried.

"What is i-" he stopped, seeing a bunch of the squadron, including Rey, Kylo, Anakin, Tahiri, and Finn smiling brightly.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, POE!" They all shouted, and an X-wing-shaped cake was pushed forward by Wes Janson.

"Oh, um, thanks," Poe said, turning a little red in the spotlight.

"To our favorite Jedi Knight/Black Squadron pilot," Jagged Fel announced.

"You deserve it, kid," Wedge Antilles added, pushing him along forwards.

"Make a wish, Poe," Finn urged.

Poe blew out the candles, and there were cheers all around. He then took out his lightsaber to cut the cake, which was a cool party trick, he had to admit. Drinks began going all around, and that's when everything went to hell.

It was alright at first, talking to Finn and all while most of the pilots got drunk- a hard feat, half of them being Corellian. Kylo and Rey were flirting with each other at the edge of the bar while Mirax Terrik and Corran Horn made out in what was now being called the couples' corner.

"Hello Solo," Fel said as he waltzed up to Rey. "Mind if I get you a drink?"

"I'm good, thank you," she said politely.

"Don't be like that, Solo," he said as he sat down next to her. "I just wanted to talk to you, as the only man that can outfly you in this fleet."

Rey resisted the urge to roll her eyes, reminding herself that he was tipsy and it wouldn't be fair to him.

"We can talk," she allowed. "What's up?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to go out the next time we're on an actual world," he said.

"Bad luck, Fel," she said, gesturing towards Kylo, whose grip on Rey had become uncomfortably tight. "I already have a boyfriend, I'm afraid."

"A pansy Sith Lord," Fel remarked.

"I'm a Jedi Knight," Kylo reminded him.

"Not to me, you won't," he said, green eyes focusing on Kylo's. "I still remember flying against you. You're not that good, Kylo."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Rey demanded.

"He doesn't deserve you, Solo," Fel said, looking straight at Kylo.

The two men locked eyes, and then Fel ran out of the room, chased by a very angry Kylo. Rey looked at Poe apologetically, and then ran out of the room. Then Wes Janson threw over a table, and Poe groaned.

Finn looked at him and shrugged. "I'll take care of it. You just go before it gets messy."

"Thanks," Poe said as he took his chance to leave.

* * *

As the party went on, Tenel Ka sat alone in her room, the room she'd shared not that long ago with Jacen. Some of his clothes were still there, his flight helmet, and even a few holocrons. She pressed a shirt to her nose. It still smelled of him, like mint and cool herbs that reminded her of Yavin. Force, she missed him!

She put it down and placed her hand to her belly.

"You would've loved him, Allana, I just know it," she said, using the name that she and Jacen had picked the day they had realized that they had a daughter. "He was so sweet to animals, and he was so excited to have a child. I just wish things had turned out differently."

Tenel Ka then realized that she was _crying_ , and had to let go to swipe her tears away.

"Well, enough of that," she finally said as she stood up. "I have to clean up, since your Grandpa Isolder and your Grandma Teneniel are coming tomorrow for negotiations with the Resistance and to meet you!"

She began picking the shirt up off the floor, and she stuffed it back under her pillow. She then went across the room, picking up holo-devices and tauntaun toys that Jacen had thought to be a good idea for Allana. One was a toy he claimed to have had as a child. It had patches, and a few permanent stains, but it was clean and was kinda cute, she had to admit. She pressed the toy to her tummy for the baby.

"This was your daddy's when he was small," she said in a nostalgic voice. "It will be yours, one day."

She sighed and continued to pick up the room, but she could not pick up the pieces of her own broken heart.

* * *

Rey groaned when she saw Kylo and Fel, very bruised, and Kylo had finally pulled out the lightsaber.

"Put it down!" She ordered. "Both of you stop!" Before they could lunge at each other again, she pulled them apart, Kylo's lightsaber signing the fake skin off of her robotic hand.

"Gah!" She hissed as Fel ran off, and Kylo deactivated his lightsaber, looking very guilty.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'll be fine!" She snapped, and she looked at him, eyes widening. "We need to get you to the medic. Now. Fel beat the crap out of you."

"Not as badly as I beat it out of him," he remarked as he stumbled and was forced to lean on Rey.

"Which you didn't have to do," she pointed out as they began walking.

"Yes I did!" He protested. "He tried to get you to cheat on me!"

She snorted. "It's not like I would. I like tall, dark haired green-eyed dark-siders, to be honest."

"One, I'm a former dark-sider, Princess Vader, and two, there's only one characteristic missing that isn't describing Colonel Fel," he pointed out.

"But I like _curly-haired_ men," Rey teased. "Especially ones who call me a Princess."

"I knew you'd warm up to the name eventually!" He cried.

"I like the first part, not the last half," she corrected. "Princess, not Vader."

"But it's fun!" He whined as he stumbled and almost fell over if not for Rey's secure grip around his waist.

"I think you had a little too much fun tonight, Ky," she said firmly. She looked down the hallway. They were only five feet from the elevator, and then her job would be decidedly easier.

"I just didn't want him to think that I was going to let him get away with that!" He protested.

"Gotcha," Rey said, an amused smile rising to her face. "Next time, let me handle it, okay?" She patted his cheek where there was a nasty bruise, causing him to wince.

"You're killing me, Princess," he said weakly.

"Sorry," she said quickly, and she punched the elevator floor. The _Anakin's_ elevator sped up to the level where the med-center was, and she helped him over to a bed. One of the med-bots went to help him while she had one replace some of the skin damaged in the scuffle on her right hand.

Kylo groaned. He'd have to stay overnight, and he saw Fel in the corner, much to his dismay. Yet, despite all his fears, Rey sat on a chair beside him and as the lights dimmed, she fell asleep clutching his hand.


	4. I'd give anything to hold you

Shira Ren fumed. She looked among the other Knights of Ren, minus Snoke and Emperor Caedus. Kira, Traya, and Voss looked up at her expectantly. Zannah looked to be playing with her bracelet, and Ulic was polishing his lightsaber reverently. Then there were about twenty more younglings that were growing slowly into adulthood, about to take on the Ren title.

"Lord Caedus has gotten too big for his boots," she began. "I wish to challenge his leadership. He is unfit to be Emperor!"

The younglings exchanged uneasy looks. They had actually liked it once Caedus had truly taken charge and hadn't let Snoke do everything anymore. He made things better for them.

"He is soft!" Shira declared. "And he plans to let the Jedi live! When we stand against their hypocrisy!"

"Lord Caedus plans to take a child and raise it as his own," Kira piped up. "He plans to spoil the little girl, I can tell! Is this what we want from the leader of our Knights? When we have suffered for so long, and it is all given to a girl who has not earned anything?"

"What are we going to do, then?" Ulic asked eagerly.

At this, Shira Ren smirked. "We are going to overthrow Lord Caedus. All of us against him, and we will win."

"I don't know that this is a good idea," Zannah said. "Lord Caedus is powerful, and he is Darth Vader's grandfather, and if the rumors prove true, a dark lord of the Sith himself, with the loyalty of the Noghiri. It may not be-"

"Coward!" Kira hissed. "You couldn't even kidnap the Skywalker boy! How could you even begin to kill Caedus? Of course you won't do it."

"Then how will that work?" Ulic asked, confused.

"Easy," Shira said with a smirk. "We will all confront him, but I will be the one to deliver the killing stroke."

"What do you think, Voss?" Kira demanded.

The Chiss Knight sat up a little straighter, and considered for a moment, but said nothing, his red eyes staring straight ahead.

Kira rolled her eyes at the legacy of Marka Ragnos. Voss then smirked, and Kira felt an icy presence.

"Your thoughts betray you, Lady Shira," Caedus's icy voice carried across the room, and Kira's heart raced. "Let me tell you now. Even if all of you tried to test me right now, you would all lose. There is a reason why I am Darth Caedus Ren, not a mere Ren. I am the true dark lord of the Sith, and my power is equal to that of my grandfather we all idolize. I will let most you off. But for you, Lady Shira. . . "

Caedus outstretched his hands and lightning came out. Shira screamed and writhed on the ground as most of them watched in horror, except for Voss and Traya grinning. When he stopped, Shira panted on the ground, looking up at him hastily.

"Let that be a little taste to you, Shira Ren, should you give me another reason to get rid of you, and a warning to the rest," Caedus drawled. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have battle plans to attend to."

With a dramatic flick of his black cape and what sounded like the techno version of the Imperial March played out of his commlink, Lord Caedus exited the room as Shira Ren got to her feet and released a feral growl.

* * *

Everything hurt inside. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't muster up the energy to be happy. He hadn't in the last eight months. He'd barely gotten by for the past two, almost three years. There were only so many betrayals and losses he could take. He'd already cut himself off from the Force during the war with Thrawn that had resulted in the return of the Empire. He was only a small child then.

As he'd gotten older, he'd trusted and allowed a little bit of the Force with his father's Jedi training, but never truly opened himself up to it. Except for the year that Jacen was assigned as his Jedi master, and he had been having a good year with Ves- he meant, Zannah. He was fourteen then.

He'd finally opened himself up to it, to life in general. He had enjoyed it immensely, being one of the true Jedi Guardians. He had such a better understanding of everyone around him, especially his father, and he tried to use it right.

But then came the assassination missions that Caedus had him come along on. Often times, Ben was forced to do the dirty job. It made his skin crawl, how his father didn't know how many times he really had murdered. It made him angry to think how Caedus had made him into a killer.

That's when he should've known that he wasn't dealing with Jacen Solo anymore. Jacen respected life and loved animals and such. Before, he was too damn philosophical to ever get involved in anything. Anakin had gotten frustrated with that as a child. In retrospect, Ben should've reported all those murders.

He burrowed deeper under the covers, ignoring his father's voice, and he let the Force shield him completely, from himself and others. He was lost in an odyssey in his own mind that he couldn't leave just yet.

Not that his father would understand.

Force, Ben missed his mother. He might've inherited his father's gentle nature, but in every other way except for blue eyes, he was like Mara Jade Skywalker. She always respected his decision not to use the Force, and despite it was still close with him. He told her just about everything. Including about the murders, right before she'd gotten killed by Caedus. He should've known, he should've known!

He pressed his face into the pillow to try and suppress his hot, salty tears. The worst part was when Kylo Ren arrived. That's when cloaks were thrown to the ground, and red lightsabers were found amongst their own ranks. Zekk, Jacen's best friend. Alema Rar, one of Anakin's friends. Vestara.

Living Force, he remembered Vestara's transformation really well.

When Kylo Ren had approached, in his Vader-esque mask, with his cross-shaped lightsaber, trailed by two women with light-whips and one with two magenta lightsabers, Vestara watched, and then bit her lip. She threw aside her brown Jedi cloak, and her eyes turned yellow. She drew a pendant with the dark-side symbol out and had activated a blood-red lightsaber.

"Surrender, Ben Skywalker, or you will be destroyed by Zannah Ren," she'd snarled before attacking him. It was all he could do to defend himself against his former friend in the rain.

"BEN WEDGE SKYWALKER, GET OUT OF THOSE COVERS NOW!" He heard his father yell in the background. He probably should obey that. He reluctantly popped out, and saw his father's irritated face and cringed.

"Look, I know it's hard," Luke said as he came over and held his son. "But you've got to move on."

"I should've known," Ben repeated. "I should've known."

"Nobody could've known," Luke said as he stroked his son's hair like he'd seen Mara do it.

Ben broke away, angry. His father had chosen exile over him! How dare he act like nothing had changed?

"The warning signs were there, but I only told Mom when it was too late!" He shouted. He started gathering up spare clothes. "And then I forgot because he grieved with me! Like a nerf-herder, I believed him! "

Luke reached out to his son, but Ben backed away, anger flaring in his eyes.

"You want me out? Fine, I'm going. But that's what you wanted, isn't it? You didn't want me to come with you when you got exiled, and you don't want me in your quarters! I'm not good enough for you, not compared to Anakin!"

He turned around, trying to hide his tears again and the door slammed behind him.

"Ben!" Luke shouted, knowing he was too late.

Ben stormed down the hallway of the _Anakin_ , ready to camp out in his stealth fighter.

* * *

"I didn't know you liked the ballet so much, Ky-Ky," Rey said as she cuddled with her boyfriend in her quarters. A recording of the Imperial Ballet, including Gungan Lake and Sleeping Revan, played, some of them starring her own aunt, Mara Jade. She could spot the freckled redheaded girl dancing around as Queen Swanhilde of Naboo who had been turned into a Gungan.

"Well, Princess Vader," Kylo retorted, already hating the nickname Rey had come up with overnight. "It's actually really soothing, and it helps balance for fighting-"

"Really?" She tried to hide her snickers about to overtake her.

"Why else do you think your aunt did it?" He asked, elbowing her gently and sneaking a handful of popcorn.

"A working disguise?" She guessed as she plucked a piece from Kylo's handful.

"Point taken," he said. "I'm glad we can do this."

"Me too," she said with a smile at him.

Then came the knock at the door.

Poe, looking hassled and frustrated and tired appeared at the door.

"What do you want?" Rey asked.

"Look, Rey, I really need your help," Poe said. "I'm about to be debriefed for a new mission, but my ship still hasn't been fixed, and I haven't had any time."

"Got it," she said. She looked at Kylo. "You stay here and try not to beat up Colonel Fel again, okay?"

"Sure, I'll just watch ballet," Kylo said. "Won't bother Captain Cardboard at all."

" _Colonel_ Cardboard," she corrected, and then winced. "Your dark side is rubbing off on me."

Kylo grinned as she disappeared.


	5. This romeo is bleeding

Tahiri grabbed another caff in the break room. Right now caff, adrenaline, and a prayer were all that was keeping her awake. She'd refused to sleep the past few nights because of her nightmares. As determined as she was to not get lured in again, the nightmares still scared her.

No wonder she thought when she saw an angry Ben Skywalker storming at her that she had actually fallen asleep.

"Ben!" She cried as she spilled hot caff all over her olive green flightsuit, and tried to at least return the liquid molecules to the cup with Force. "What are you doing out of your room?"

"My father doesn't want me," Ben said sullenly as he slammed down his bag. "Can I sleep in the stealth fighter? Please?"

"You need overnight keys, then?" Tahiri asked as she poured some more blue milk into her caff to cool it down. She might as well go along with this since she was half-asleep.

"Yeah," Ben said, brightening significantly.

"Wait, just wait a moment," Tahiri said, finally regaining lucidity. "Why on the two suns of Tattooine do you think that your father doesn't want you?"

"He always wanted me out, and he didn't take me with him when he went in exile," Ben explained with a grunt of frustration.

"Did you ever consider that either of those things might be because he loves you?" She asked in a conversational voice.

"Why would they show that he loves me?" Ben asked as he let go of some of his anger.

"He didn't bring you with him into exile because he wanted you to experience the fullest of life," she said. "He wanted you to get out more because it's healthy, not crying in your room all day."

"Okay, maybe with the get out of the room thing," he admitted. "But still with-"

"Ben? Are you okay?"

Tahiri cursed under her breath as she spilled her caff _again_ all over her jumpsuit while Master Skywalker hugged his son.

"I'm fine, Dad," Ben said, looking half-irritated and half-touched. Tahiri attempted to put the coffee molecules back in again.

"I just wanted to check," Luke said. He hesitated while Tahiri got her first sip of the coffee cup. She winced. It was cold from the spills. She started using the Force to heat up the molecules within it.

"Son, I'm sorry you feel like I don't want you," Luke said, placing his hands on his son's shoulders to try to get him to look at him. "But I love you more than anything."

"Not like Anakin or Jacen," Ben sniffled. "They've always been stronger in the Force than I have. Better lightsaber-wielders, and I repressed my gift for so long. I saw the looks you gave me."

"What looks?" Luke pulled Ben's chin up. "Ben, I loved you since the day Mara and I realized we had a child. That's why I left you behind. It was the hardest thing for me to do, but I just wanted you to have people around and something of a normal childhood."

He paused.

"Those looks that I gave you when you were younger? Those were looks of love, Ben, not disappointment," he explained. "I don't think I could ever be disappointed in you. I will always love you."

"Really, Dad?" Ben sniffled.

"Of course, son," he said, and the two hugged. Tahiri found it safe, and she began to raise her coffee cup again. That's when out of nowhere, arms wrapped around her waist. She spilled her cup again, and stamped her foot in frustration, not even bothering this time.

"I give up," she said.

"You okay, Tahiri?" Anakin asked, looking at her with concerned blue eyes.

"I'm fine," she lied as she shook her hands out and returned the molecules to the cup, and then dumped it in the trash.

"No, you're not," Anakin said, holding her close. "I can see circles under your eyes. You haven't been sleeping, have you?"

"I-"

"Have the nightmares been coming back?"

She bit her lip. "Yes."

His expression softened, and he hugged her even closer, stroking her blond curls. "Come on, let's go."

"What?"

"We're going to go sleep," he said. "Come on, T."

"But what about-"

"My duties can wait," Anakin said with a smile. "I've got more important duties with you."

* * *

Rey sighed. "What's the problem, Dameron?"

"Look, Wedge is about to debrief me for a mission, and I still haven't fixed my ship," Poe admitted. "You're really good with mechanics. Maybe you can do it for me?"

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "You're hopeless. Where is your monstrosity?"

"Monstrosity?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Do you want me to help or not?" She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Fine," he sighed as he escorted her down the hangar to his ship. "Thanks, I owe you one."

"Anytime, Dameron," she said with a smile, and she opened up the hood. "When was the last time you cleaned this?"

"Um. . ." Poe inched away from the granddaughter of Vader. "Look, I gotta-"

"Go, be with Wedge," Rey said dismissively. "When you come back, it'll be like your ship is brand new!"

BB-8 rolled up to her, and began babbling on how careless Poe was with his ship. Rey laughed as she cleaned and re-worked some of the wiring and straightened out some of the panels. This came naturally to her, and it was soothing. She got so lost in it, that by the time she was done, she hadn't realized that someone was waiting outside.

She slid out, and saw Jagged Fel, mostly healed up from his skirmish with Kylo, leaning against an X-wing.

"What do you want?" She demanded as she started putting away her tools.

"I wanted to see you, Solo," he said casually. "Thought it might be nice to have a talk."

"I can't imagine what about," she said politely, wanting nothing more than to go to her room and watch ballet with Kylo. She was just about to butt past him when he secured her around the waist.

"Many things," he said in response to her statement. One of his hands loosened as the other arm tightened its hold around her waist as she tried to push away. His hand reached up to cup her chin.

"Like why you belong with me," he drawled, and he kissed her. It felt like life was being sucked out of her, and she went limp, when all she wanted was out. And she hated herself for it. She then happened to open her eyes and see Kylo. That's when she tossed Fel into his X-wing with the Force, and she unleashed her blue trisaber and her golden saber-staff.

"Try anything again," she snarled with the Skywalker-murder-face. "I _swear_ I'll kill you."

"What's going on?" Poe rushed over, Finn trailing behind him, both had their lightsabers activated.

"This nerf-herder forced himself on me!" Rey cried with a fierce jab that almost took off Fel's ear with her saber. "And now he's gonna-"

Finn and Poe exchanged a look, and Finn deactivated the lightsabers with Force-pushes, and Poe restrained Rey.

"I'm sorry that I can't have you killing my pilots!" Poe yelled over the commotion as people gathered around. "Calm down, Rey!"

Rey pushed him off with the Force, albeit more gently than she had Fel. She didn't hesitate for a second. Black lightning shot out of her fingertips. Fel screamed, and as soon as he did, she shut it off. Rey looked down at her hands in horror. What had she done?

As Fel was helped to his feet by a few of the younger pilots that worshipped him, and Rey stepped back, trembling. She shook her head. She didn't even know that she could do that! The power scared her, and it made her terrified at what she could possibly do in the future.

Poe and Finn took a step toward her, but she ran to where she'd be safe from herself, as well as everyone else.

* * *

Phasma stared down her ranks fiercely.

"Today's the day, ladies and gentlemen," she declared with pride. Remember those Knights of Ren, looking down on you as if you are lesser despite us being on the same side? Today, we will do what they could not. We will retrieve Kylo Ren."

There was murmuring amongst the ranks.

"It'll look like we're getting vital materials, but really we're getting another shipment of tutus for the Knights of Ren," Phasma continued. "We've gotten a leak that the Resistance will attack, and General Ren will be a part of the mission. I want him alive at all costs. Understand?"

The First Order looked around and chattered excitedly. They couldn't wait to one-up the snobs!

"For Kylo Ren!" General Hux shouted, and the cheers went around the _Purge_.


	6. But you can't see his blood

Kylo's head was spinning. He couldn't believe it. Fel kissing _his_ sweetheart! He'd watched as Rey had shoved him and had almost killed him with the lightning. He then watched as she ran. Poe came up to him.

"Look," he said. "I wouldn't be asking if it weren't for Anakin reporting that Tahiri was too tired for her duties."

"But what about-"

"There will be plenty of time later," Poe assured him. "Please, Ky?"

"Fine," he huffed. "But you owe me one, Dameron."

"You and Rey both," Poe muttered. "You won't regret it, I promise!"

Kylo sighed. He'd wanted to go after Rey, to comfort her, but guilt still remained. He felt it every time his superiors tried to make his life hell, every time he got tossed into the trash by the younglings. He had to make up for the last time he killed.

"She'll be fine," he whispered to himself as he dressed up in his flightsuit. "Rey's always been strong. I'll talk to her later."

* * *

"Wraith Leader standing by," Poe said over the radio.

Kylo waited patiently for his turn to call in, "Wraith Five, standing by."

"Alright, boys and girls, let's give it everything we've got!" Poe cried. "Remember, these are supposed to be parts for Project Starkiller!"

"Pink Leader is ready," the female leader of the Amidala Squadron announced.

"Alright, let's dive!"

They started going down as Green Three made a shot towards the crate. That's when Kylo bumped into him on purpose. He wanted Fel to pay for what he did. Maybe it was stupid, maybe it was petty, but all it would do is leave a dent in Fel's X-wing, right?

That's when Phasma took her shot in her TIE.

"Sithspit!" Kylo started flipping switches to try to compensate for the loss of his engine, but he was going down. He then tried to release lightning, but all that did was shock him and make things worse.

Poe swooped down, and gestured for Kylo to attempt getting in. Kylo pushed up the top and Poe pushed up the top of his in a precarious position. Poe stood, offering a hand, and Kylo jumped. At first, he stuck the landing, but then he slipped on the sleek side of the X-wing.

Poe called upon the Force for the strength to pull Kylo up. A shot fired above them, and the young men tumbled into the cockpit. BB-8 chirped nervously. Kylo was about to close the top when another shot fired.

"We've got to eject!" He cried, and he reached for the ring to pull on his chest piece. Kylo did the same, albeit more nervously. He'd seen the training videos, and it did remain that this was mostly untested technology, mere prototypes. Still, he didn't want a fiery wreck, so he pulled it.

Both men went soaring, parachutes making them easy targets. Yet no one shot at them, to their confusion. Other X-wings were crashing, most noticeably the one that Ben had called the _Twin Suns_.

"Ben," Poe whispered dryly. He'd promised Master Skywalker that he'd watch out for him, and worse, he'd promised General Solo that he wouldn't let Ben get captured. As he saw a little redhead get escorted out of the _Twin Suns_ , he realized that he'd failed on both accounts.

When they landed, they'd tried to run, but the stormtroopers were ready for them. Captain Phasma had held a gun to both their heads, forcing them both to surrender their lightsabers.

What neither of them saw was BB-8, taking all of this in with her cameras and then rolling away into the woods, where no one could find her except for the right people.

* * *

"We regret to inform you that Poe Dameron, Kylo, and Ben Skywalker have gone missing in action," Colonel Fel told General Solo, with Rey, Luke, Han, and Finn in the room.

"What?" Rey leapt to her feet. "Why?"

Fel took a deep breath. "He took a shot for me, Poe tried to save him, and that's how both of them went down. Ben was trying to take out Phasma, and he got shot down."

"No," she said, shaking her head, stepping back. "It can't be true! You've got to be lying-"

"Rey," Leia said as Han stepped forward to try and calm her down. The Force rippled around her, pushing everyone away gently. There was only one touch she wanted to feel tonight.

"It can't be true," she sobbed, and she ran as far as she could, back to her quarters she'd shared with him. When she closed the door behind her and locked it, her knees buckled and she let it all out. She'd be alone again, and she dreaded the cold nights in the bed, the mornings without the sweet kisses, the constant presence. She hadn't wanted to go back to a scavenger life.

She looked up at the holo screen, the only thing lit in the room besides the stars blinking their last. It looked like Kylo had tried to slice into the First Order records to retrieve a video. She got up shakily, and hit play.

 _Kylo was fifteen, and a lanky, awkward teenager with a pimply face that hasn't grown into his body quite yet. He's wearing a black unitard and practice shoes, but the tights and the red tutu remain untouched. Everyone else in the studio was wearing the uniform, even a twelve-year old Zannah and a seventeen-year-old Kira._

 _A creature with a snake-like face from the Callah race approached the defiant teenager._

 _"Kylo Ren, get in that uniform right now!" Snoke ordered._

 _"Do I have to wear the tights?" He whined._

 _"And the tutu," Snoke said threateningly._

 _The girls in the room giggled, except for Shira Ren, and all the males just glanced at him sympathetically, Ulic Ren having a why-me look._

 _"Fine!" Kylo spat, and he put the tights and tutu on and reluctantly got into position. It was to be confessed that his movements were indeed lovely, albeit slightly awkward. Of course, all the Knights of Ren were doing their pliés in perfect sync._

Rey was in tears. Maybe any other time it would be funny, but now it just made her cry. Maybe he'd retrieved it to make her laugh. The fact that he'd thought of her, and she'd never gotten to explain the situation with Fel made her cry harder.


	7. Without you i give up

Ben awoke in to the cold that accompanied either Hoth or a Sith Lord. Of course, being on a bed in the dark interior of a Star Destroyer, and the fact that the Hoth base had been abandoned ever since the attack in his father's era, he had to go with the Sith Lord theory. He expected to see some inquisitor for the Knights of Ren looking over him with their lightsaber, smirking. What he got was quite the opposite.

Caedus himself was sitting on the chair next to his bed with a deceptively concerned face staring at him. Ben's breathing became shallow as he tried to get up, only to be pushed gently down by Caedus.

"Be careful," he advised. "You got hurt pretty badly in the crash, and Phasma pushed you pretty hard on it, and I think it's broken."

Ben tried to get up, despite the sudden pain in his leg.

"Get away from me!" He snarled. His expression was savage and feral. "I want nothing to do with you, Caedus Ren! Don't you have more important people to torture?"

"Torture?" Caedus frowned. "What do you- oh."

There was silence between the cousins.

"What do you want from me?" Ben asked, trying to sit up as Caedus pushed him down again.

"I just want you to get better, Ben," he said, his unnervingly yellow eyes staring at Ben, making him feel very uncomfortable.

"Don't feed me that bantha poodoo!" Ben snapped. "You want to use me as a Knight of Ren, like you did Tahiri! Well I won't fall to the dark side! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!"

At this point, Caedus looked severely annoyed.

"Although Aquarius Ren would've made a great addition-"

Ben was horrified. "There was a name in place?"

Caedus rolled his eyes. "As I was saying, I never wanted to be evil in the first place. I don't want my fate to be yours. I figured I could rescue you from the horrors that await your friends below."

Ben gulped. "What happened to them?"

"Hux is interrogating General Dameron right now," Caedus recalled. "Kira Ren is alone with Kylo, I'm afraid."

"Why in the nine Corellian hells aren't you rescuing them as well?" Ben demanded, finally winning the upper hand in his battle to sit up.

"Ben, I had to fight to get you," he said, sounding heartbroken. "I want to save them all, trust me. And soon, I will."

"What are you talking about?" Ben asked, his voice going up an octave.

"You'll see in time," Caedus said, patting Ben on the head as he used to back when he was Jacen. "Zannah will be here in a moment for you."

As excited as Ben felt because he knew she was there, his heart hurt at the idea of seeing her again.

"And no, she's not going to torture you either- and if she does, tell me immediately, got it?" Caedus asked. Ben nodded in reply. "Good. Here's your commlink, it has my personal frequency on it, but all others are disabled. Good luck."

With that, Darth Caedus Ren left, leaving Ben's mind spinning. What was going on? What did Caedus want from him really? What was he talking about, not wanting to be evil and saving all?

* * *

Poe groaned. General Hux sucked just as much as Shira. He rolled over carefully, trying to ignore the sore, bruised limbs. He hated himself right now for getting caught again. And Antilles had called him the greatest pilot in the galaxy!

 _Not good enough to save them when it counts_ , he thought angrily. If it weren't for his swollen hands, to be honest, he'd want to punch something if it weren't for his swollen hands. He hadn't let Kylo reconcile with Rey, and he'd taken his anger out on Fel, causing the crash.

And Force! He was a Jedi, for crying out loud! He should've attacked Phasma with his lightsaber, but she had a gun to his head! He should never have been captured! He only hoped that Ben, Kylo, and the others were doing okay, but the screams next door were quickly proving him wrong.

If he could just use the Force to shield them-

 _Zap!_

He recoiled, feeling the shock of the anti-Force collar. _Kriff these imperial geniuses!_

* * *

Kylo, on the other hand, felt only anger as he looked up into the yellow eyes that would've been his fate if he'd stayed for a few more years. His eyes had already been almost black from the corruption. Only two more would've made him irredeemable. With the Force collar, the chained chair, there was no hope of escape. Not unless he could irritate Kira enough. . .

But Kira's proud smirk frightened him, made him shrivel like a little boy. It was the smirk she wore when she killed another beautiful thing, shattered it beyond repair. If there was anything Kira loved breaking, it was _him_. His thoughts raced. Did she have Rey here? Was she going to make him see things? He sincerely hoped not, but his heart filled with dread.

"Kylo, oh poor little Kylo," she drawled in a syrupy voice that set all hairs on end. "I see you ended up with us again. How far you've fallen."

"I have not fallen," Kylo said stubbornly. "I've climbed out of Hell."

"So those hypocritical Jedi have lied to you and fed you their propaganda like a good little rebel?" She sneered. "I have a way to fix all of that."

He shrunk into the chair, afraid of her cold laughter. Like her idol, she had a dark sense of humor. Figures, right? A dark humor for a dark-sider?

"What have you done?" He asked in a small voice that he hadn't used in quite some time, that made him sound like the ten-year-old boy who watched the flowers on the back window get burnt by the end of a lightsaber and didn't understand why the world hated him so much.

"Not what I _have_ done, but what I _will_ ," she declared, pacing the room with the grace of Loth-cats. "Surely you know the story of Darth Revan?"

"He returned to the light in the end," he offered.

"No, you fool!" She hissed, becoming even more cat-like. "He was the greatest of all Sith, and he was brainwashed by the Jedi Council so he could sniff out the Star-Forge for them. Tragic, isn't it? He almost went back for Bastila Shan, but instead he remained steadfast to the Light Side and redeemed the girl. Eventually, he did go back to his ways 300 years later, but some fools running the Sith and the idiotic Jedi allied to kill him and unfortunately succeeded."

"I don't follow," Kylo admitted.

She laughed again, a sound that was pure torture and brought up memories of glass snapping into clean shards, blood dripping onto his hands, and his own guilt. He could almost feel the sensation of being shoved to the ground yet again.

"They say the Force can do terrible things to a mind," she said in a reverent voice. "It can wipe away your memories and destroy your very identity."

"No," Kylo said, his mouth going dry. He didn't want to forget. He didn't want to become a monster behind a mask again, only two years from yellow-eyes. "Please, Kira, I'll serve you willingly if you'll just-"

Kira laughed again. "You're a fool. Finally, I will use the power used against Revan for the greater good!"

She outstretched her hand, and began snatching up the memories. Little bits, like how BB-8 sounded, or the hum of Rey's holo screen. Then she started picking away greater bits, like becoming a Jedi, forgiving Luke Skywalker, and making friends with Finn and Poe Dameron. He was forgetting the legendary Mustafar, his return to Yavin IV, and his anger at Shira Ren.

Yet he clung onto one memory as hard as he could, and she was sucking even that away. The memory of Rey's concerned face when he awoke in the Jakku heat, staring as if she really cared. As the details and her name disappeared, and even her voice, only one thing remained beyond Kira's talons in his mind.

Rey's face, and then all faded to black.

Kira stepped back, pleased with herself. "He will be ready to be placed back in the Order when he wakes up."

Traya Ren stood forwards, and the stoic Echani woman first undid the Force-collar.

"Are you sure that this was wise, Kira?" She asked.

"Of course it was!" Kira snapped. "You have the last Darth Traya's memories, you saw how well it worked on Revan, brainwashing him!"

"Ah," Traya said, raising a lithe finger as she continued to unchain the unconscious Knight. "But was Revan's original personality among the Jedi the exact way it was when he was forcefully returned to the light? Didn't he have memories of the dark side?"

"That's where we'll tell him that the girl was his kidnapper who brainwashed him," Kira said with a smirk. She was proud of her plan. He would never recover his identity that he'd gained in the last eight months.

* * *

Zannah Ren waited on the elevator as "Imperial Girl" from the heyday of the Empire played. A mix of emotions flowed over her face. Anger was always there, always had been, at the Jedi for failing to find a cure for her sister, the Knights of Ren for never completing the quest for the cure.

 _I will avenge you, Rain,_ she promised, letting the tear flow. Unlike some of her comrades, she embraced her emotions. Wasn't that the true meaning of the Sith? Letting your emotions set you free?

After all, she wanted to learn Sith sorcery, not some cult's worship of those long dead and gone.

Yet Zannah was excited for seeing Ben again, in a position where she would not be required to kill him. Of course, she planned on tormenting him a little, in a game of cat-and-mouse. The thought sent a thrill down her spine, but then an urging came. One emotion she'd always been encouraged to hide was love. Even if love was what drew her in.

"Emperor Ren," she said with a nod once she'd been allowed into the Emperor's own extensive quarters.

"I knew there was a reason I liked you," he said, with a smile almost like Jacen Solo's again, but as soon as he left, Caedus came back. "Take care of my cousin. If I hear that you hurt him, I will show you the dark side. Understand?"

While the guards in red watched carefully, Caedus passed a small slip of flimsi into her hand. She didn't understand as the door closed behind her. After a few minutes of navigation, Zannah came upon the spare room.

He sat there, irritated and bleary-eyed, his brilliant red hair tousled as always. He made her heart stop, as always. His eyes widened when he saw her, and he flattened against the bed, drawing the covers up.

Despite her facial tattoos, she managed a smile that looked halfway friendly.

"Hello Ben," she said, her voice cocky and cool. "It's been a long time."


	8. Now i can't sing a love song

Luke sighed as he looked to the training room. Rey had been dual-wielding with her saber-staff and trisaber all week tirelessly. On training-level in the simulator, she was blocking bullets _and_ fighting two opponents. While his mind was constantly on Ben and if he was alright, he was quite concerned for Rey.

He pounded the button to quit the sim. Rey looked angry as she deactivated her lightsabers and stormed to Luke.

"Hey!" She shouted. "What's the big idea?"

"The idea is that you're overworking yourself," Luke said gently. "You've got to take a break."

"I have to work on my training so I can rescue Poe, Ben, and Kylo," she grunted. "They don't have much time."

"They have enough time for you to sleep or eat," he pointed out.

She shook her head. "I'm not hungry, and I can't sleep. Bed's too cold without him."

"Come on," he insisted. "You need to-"

"I don't need to do anything!" She snapped.

"Fine," Luke said. "Fine." He pounded the resume button, and Rey ran back into place with her lightsabers.

He then walked away until he was out of Rey's earshot. He then pulled up his comm to the family channel.

"Hey, Tahiri, Tenel Ka, get over here, Rey needs some feminine help," Luke hissed.

"I'm coming," Tenel Ka said.

"Kriff, is she still training?" Tahiri whined.

"Yes," Luke said. "Just get over here."

"Yes, Master Skywalker," the girls chorused.

"Thank you-"

"What's this about feminine advice?" Leia barked over commlink.

"Um, I think Tenel Ka and Ta-"

"Girls, wait for me to get there," General Solo ordered, and then she logged out.

Luke turned it off. Within seconds, the womenfolk of the Skywalker family had all appeared out of the sim. Luke was impressed, actually.

"Now shoo, brother, we've got an intervention to stage," Leia said, making a shooing motion.

"Are those the darts your mother sent you for your birthday?" Luke cried in horror, scrutinizing the Hapan princess.

"This intervention may involve some force," Tenel Ka said, the picture of seriousness. "This is a fact."

"What happens in an intervention stays in an intervention," Tahiri said a little too cheerfully. "Now get out!"

Luke ran off, deciding he didn't want to get involved with the events about to occur. The Skywalker ladies, whether born, married, or destined to be a part of, were all insanely terrifying when they got it in their head to do something.

Tenel Ka, Tahiri, and Leia then turned to the door. Three lightsabers activated, green, blue, and pink. They stepped into the sim. Rey ignored them as they walked in the middle of her fight, deflecting bullets effortlessly.

"That's enough!" Leia shouted at her daughter as she stabbed the final enemy. Rey fell onto the ground, and her lightsabers went flying. Tahiri offered her a hand up, and the lightsabers flew to Tenel Ka's belt. Rey tried to let go, but Tahiri held a lightsaber to her neck and forced her to stand in front of her.

"What's this?" Rey asked.

"Your intervention," Tenel Ka declared threateningly. "Come with us or we will be forced to sedate you."

"Wha- NO!" Rey then threw Tahiri backwards with the Force, and had a panicked, feral look in her eyes as she looked at Tenel Ka and Leia as Tahiri groaned and checked herself over for burns.

"Give me back my lightsabers!" She yelled at Tenel Ka as she drew her DL-44.

"Jaina Mon Solo, you will come and take a break and you will like it," Leia said.

"Why does everyone want me to take a break?" She demanded.

"Tenel Ka, if you would," Leia said with a nod. Tenel Ka stepped forwards, looking as if she was going to give Rey her lightsabers back, but at the last minute, she shot Rey with her dart.

Rey toppled immediately.

"Not fair," she coughed. When she passed out, Leia gestured to Tahiri, who used the Force to drag Rey out to Tenel Ka's room.

* * *

It was moments like this when Ben wanted his mom's advice. He could just see it now. _Hey Mom, what do you do about this really cute Sith girl that happened to betray you and knocked you out last time?_

"Didn't Emperor Ren tell you I was coming?" She asked, sitting down on that chair that Ben was starting to dread. All of his nightmares he'd had for the past eight months came to life in that chair.

"He did, I just wasn't prepared," he admitted, feeling like he wanted to make himself smaller. He withdrew into the Force, shielding himself.

Zannah reached out and touched his arm. He was absolutely terrified. The last time she'd touched him, he'd been held hostage. Yet he was feeling something inside, a different sort of nervousness.

Always two, there were. Emotions, he meant. Love and fear went hand in hand with Zannah Ren.

"Are you alright?" She asked, brown eyes piercing him. Force, he'd seen those eyes so many times in his dreams, starting when he hit puberty. They were devilish now, but he still saw a little bit of angel within them.

"Why do you care?" He asked.

Her face fell, something Ben wasn't used to seeing from Sith.

"Because I love you Ben, as stupid as that is," she said with a bitter laugh. "Back when you were an idealistic Jedi apprenticed to Jacen, and I was a traitor, even then, the mole, we had chemistry. We still do."

"What do you mean, you love me?" Ben demanded. "Why did you betray me, then? You still have time to turn away from Caedus. You did then."

"I couldn't," she said, tears starting to leak out of her eyes. "I still can't. He's my master now. But don't you feel something for me? Why do you hide yourself from me?"

Her honesty was contagious to Ben, even though he felt like she was avoiding some things.

"You think I don't feel something for you?" He demanded in a screech reminiscent of a wounded gundark. "You think that I never loved you back, and still don't? Dammit, I've always loved you, Ves-"

"I stopped being Vestara Khai a long time ago," she corrected.

"You'll always be Ves to me," he said longingly, surrendering to her touch that he'd never admit that he'd longed for in the two years since the attack on the Praxeum, since she held him hostage on Yavin. As sick as that was.

"I'm Zannah now," she said. "You have to accept that, Ben."

"Maybe I haven't," he said, starting to cry too. "But you have no idea how much I've missed you. I haven't gotten over you. You haunt me, Ves. I don't think I'll ever stop loving you?"

"You really mean that?" She sniffled. "You really mean that, Benny?"

"Of course, Ves- I mean, Zannah," he corrected. "Can we at least be friends?"

At this, she smirked, her tears evaporating quickly.

"Well, seeing as your cousin assigned me as your bodyguard, I guess I can manage that," she said. "Don't expect me to go soft on you because of this whole soppy love thing."

"I never expected you to," Ben said between blushing and tears.

"Good," she said. "So let's get you into your cast and let me get you your crutches."

Ben winced as she cracked her knuckles, exhilarated by the mood swing.


	9. The way it's meant to be

Kylo fidgeted in the seat. Yes, it was nice to be back among the company of Phasma and Hux, but something didn't feel quite right about it to him. Maybe it was the memory loss.

"Let me get this straight," he asked, shaking his head in disbelief. "I was captured eight months ago? Last I remember, I got shot down by Poe Dameron."

"The Resistance picked you up from your salvaged ship and held you hostage," Phasma explained calmly while Hux looked a little nervous. "They tortured you into their trained dog, but we were able to rescue you last night. We don't know why you don't remember. Possibly, it was that traumatizing to your psyche."

Kylo blushed furiously under the mask. He felt weak for forgetting- it meant that he was too weak to stand the memories. Honestly, he wanted to slap himself for getting captured in the first place!

Still, he thought as he leaned back as if nothing was wrong. He kept seeing flashes of a girl's face in his sleep. Suntanned, brown hair, brown eyes, and as beautiful as Padmé Amidala.

"Who was the girl?" He blurted out.

"What girl?" Hux barked. "Surely you didn't fall in love with some poor little sap!"

"There's a face," he explained. "Brown hair, brown eyes, and she feels familiar."

Hux and Phasma exchanged a glance.

"Jaina Solo was your kidnapper," she said.

Kylo cocked his head to the side. "But she's been dead for nineteen years!"

"She's been in hiding, waiting as a secret weapon of the Jedi," Hux said, thinking creatively. "She lived with the Mandalorians!"

"The Mandalorians?"

"The Mandalorians," Phasma confirmed calmly.

"Ah, the Mandalorians," Kylo drawled. "So what am I supposed to do?"

At this, Hux smirked. "We'll send you on a mission eventually to avenge your capture. But now you need to train and prepare yourself."

Kylo nodded. "Understood, General."

"Good, you little scumbag," Hux jeered. "Now go make use of yourself."

"Of course, you son-of-a-Hutt," Kylo replied in the customary fashion, and he darted off.

Phasma turned to Hux.

"Good thinking," she told him. "I will admit that it is good to have him back."

* * *

Tenel Ka awaited the ship boarding onto the Anakin with as much patience and serenity as the Jedi Princess could muster. Teneniel Djo and Prince Isolder strutted into the greeting bay, Ta'Chume behind them, glaring coldly as always.

Tenel Ka rubbed her hand over her belly.

All will be fine, Allana, she murmured in the Force. Still, she greeted her mother and father warmly.

"Tenel Ka, you are beautiful as always," Isolder said as he kissed his daughter on the forehead.

"And is this your baby?" Teneniel asked, looking at Tenel Ka's prominent belly.

"Allana," Tenel Ka told her.

"So there _was_ a name," Teneniel said, looking at her husband proudly. "You owe me five credits. Pay up."

Isolder grumbled as he dug up the change, but he really didn't mind.

"There was a bet?" Tenel Ka was amused.

"Of course there was," Isolder said. "There's nothing your mother enjoys more than being right."

"Besides you," Teneniel said, elbowing him playfully.

Ta'Chume stared fiercely at her granddaughter. Slowly, she raised her glittering hand to point at Tenel Ka's tummy under the Hapan maternity dress that had been sent four months ago.

"So _this_ is the disgrace to the Hapes Consortium," she said in almost a whisper.

"Allana is not a disgrace, Grandmother," Tenel Ka answered coldly.

"How do you already know the gender of your child?" Ta'Chume demanded as she walked up to the Jedi. "Is it another Jedi trick? It isn't natural, I tell you."

"I knew as soon as _she_ was conceived because of the Force," she answered calmly but defensively. "Grandmother, she's going to be the Queen Mother after me."

"Not a Solo," Ta'Chume insisted, looking ready to faint. "Especially not that dratted Emperor. He is not worthy of Hapan blood!"

Tenel Ka fought for control of her facial expression. She couldn't pick fights with her grandmother yet. She merely clenched her fist around the rancor-tooth handle of her lightsaber, and practiced Jedi meditating techniques while not breaking the gaze of her grandmother.

"Come along, General Solo will be waiting for you," she said icily, and Tenel Ka began praying that her grandmother would leave soon.

* * *

Tahiri stayed in the room with Rey, who was eating the treats and still watching the holo about her grandparents. She enjoyed talking to the older girl. She was only fourteen years old, and she was already considered almost engaged to Anakin, and she loved being around Ani's family.

Naturally, she wanted to get to know her future sister-in-law. She had an irresistible, bubbly personality that got along well with Rey's sunny, forgiving nature, and the two had hit it off instantly. It hurt for Tahiri to see her like this, but she understood how it felt. That's how she'd been lured into the dark side.

Janus Ren, no matter how many times Tahiri defied her, was lurking within. She could see and hear that version of her in her sleep. It was only a matter of time before Janus would fight for control again, and take her over.

 _It's only in your mind,_ she tried to tell herself as she anchored herself to a pillow. _It's only in your mind. It's only in your mind!_

 _But that doesn't make it any less real._

She looked to Rey, who was dozing off. She was sorry this was happening. It caused Kylo to have to go in her place, and for Rey to lose him. It was all her fault. If she hadn't gotten her scar in the first place, she wouldn't have ever met Janus Ren. The Tattooine-raised girl slowly got to her feet, and padded barefoot out of Leia's chambers.

Tahiri Veila was on a mission.


	10. I just guess i'm not that good anymore

Ben was seriously wondering who spiked his water. Seriously. In one day, he'd been healed by his cousin, the Evil Emperor, stuck with Zannah, who wasn't trying to kill him for once, and everyone staring at him with respect in the First Order. Not that he'd gone many places around the _Mal'ary'ush_ to prove this. Then again, not many people would like to tango with a Knight of Ren like Zannah, or worse, his cousin.

"Come on, let's go to the canteen and get you something," she'd drawled once Ben had the boot put on so he could walk around and was given the crutches.

Ben had just gone along with it, since he wasn't one to pick a fight that was obviously against his odds. It had been interesting, seeing Ves- he meant Zannah- this way. She practically _skipped_ around the halls, but as far as what Ben could tell, this was normal.

He thought she would've been different among the Sith, but she was just as bubbly as she was when she was at the Praxeum. He wondered if it had anything to do with him being beside her. The angelic sparkle in her devilish eyes was starting to grow, and they were a lot darker, back to a chocolate brown rather than a disturbing amber.

Still, he didn't say anything as all of the Knights of Ren glared at the two of them.

"What is he doing here?" Shira Ren hissed.

"The Emperor has placed Ben Skywalker under his protection and has asked me to serve as his escort," she said haughtily, drawing up to her full height (which wasn't saying much) and adapting an icy expression to her face. "If you wish to take it up with him, by all means, try. I do not believe he will budge on this, however."

"You're going soft," a familiar voice said from behind a mask.

Ben did a double-take. "Kylo?"

"It's Kylo Ren." He corrected. "Use the proper title."

"What happened-"

Zannah shot her hand over Ben's mouth. "We're leaving. Let's go, Ben."

As soon as they stopped in a corridor, he broke away from her.

"What the hells was that about?" He demanded.

"Kylo doesn't remember his time with your cousin anymore," Zannah explained. "Kira Ren rewired him with the Force."

"Oh Force," Ben whispered, eyes widening and his face paling in shock. "That's possible?"

"Apparently it happened to Darth Revan in the old days," Zannah said with a shrug. "I'm so sorry."

A tear trickled down her cheek.

"H-He promised," Ben said, blue eyes wide with shock. "He promised that he wouldn't betray me. He promised!"

"Kira made him break that promise," Zannah said gently. "It's not his fault."

"Right. Like it wasn't your fault when you attacked the Praxeum," Ben snapped.

The look on Zannah's face became ugly.

"Look, I'm sorry Ben that I had to do that to you, but you have no idea how things were for me!" She shouted, drawing attention from some of the stormtroopers. They'd learned when the Knights of Ren had first joined up with them that angry Knights were not a good idea. "I had to do it!"

"Why?" Ben demanded. "Because Caedus threatened to kill you?"

She let out a bitter laugh. "I wish. That would've been easier to refuse."

"Well what was it then?" He was both furious and confused.

She wiped a tear from her cheek. "I'm not ready to discuss that with you."

"It's been two years, Zannah!" He cried. "How bad can it be?"

Her face was one of pure fury and misery. "You know how bad it was to lose your mother, right? I know you still haven't gotten over that."

His face softened. "Oh Force, did you lose your mom, V- Zannah, I mean?"

"No, she's been out of the picture for some time," she admitted. "But I'm not ready to talk about that with you. Do you understand me?"

"Yes," Ben said, feeling instantly guilty. He'd been interrogating her about a loss that clearly meant something to her, and he'd been merciless, non-Jedi. "I'm sorry, Zannah."

Her face softened. "I see you're actually calling me by my name."

"You seem happier with it," Ben said with a shrug. "I just want to know- which one is your real one?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked as they began walking back and the relieved stormtroopers dispersed.

"Which one were you born with?" He clarified.

She smirked, bringing attention to the scar on the end of her lip. "A mix, actually. My name was Zannah Khai. It's part of our culture back at home Somonov Riv, though, to go by a nickname. I forget the origin, but it has roots in that real names have power. I was called Ves all the time."

"So that's where Vestara came from?" He asked.

"That," she admitted. "And from part of my sister's true name, Savara."

"I remember you mentioning your sister a few times," Ben said. "What happened to her?"

She looked away. "She's in a better place now."

She looked back at him, and her expression changed. "Come on, let's go get some food."

* * *

Anakin was surprised to see his cabin all alone, no Tahiri in it, but that happened every once in a while. He expected to feel some of her residual presence, but there was nothing. As if she was completely gone. A sheet of flimsi stood out on the desk.

"Oh no," he realized, and he ran over to it, wondering if it was too late.

 _Ani,_

 _I can't stay here any longer. The dreams are coming back, and I don't want to hurt you again. I have to fight the dark side on my own. I'm somewhere completely safe, I assure you, and you won't ever have to worry about me. I'll come back when I'm ready. I promise, Ani._

 _With all my love,_

 _Tahiri_

"No," Anakin whispered, horrified. How many times had he ignored the signs? How obvious had they been? He should've realized, he should've tried to stop her from leaving, he should've tried to help her fight it. Force knew he had his own demons he fought. After all, he shared the same name as his infamous grandfather, and it was rumored he was just as prodigious with his gifts. He could've helped her, he could've figured out what was wrong. But he hadn't been paying enough attention.

He stuffed the flimsi into his pocket, and grabbed a bag he'd fill up with supplies. He was going to find her if it was the last thing he ever did, and he would bring her back.

* * *

Jacen looked up from his datapad. There were hundreds of thousands of laws and bills and requests that were sent into him that had somehow gotten past his cabinet that he had to sort through. Why Palpatine had ever considered this a great job was a question he wondered several times a day.

A holo of Tenel Ka sat on his desk, her looking as fierce and beautiful as she had the day he'd met her. They'd only been twelve years old at the time, but then a bond had formed between them that would never be broken. He could feel her bond to him always, and the Force bond they both had with their child already.

She would be due soon, he remembered.

"Allana," he said softly, although the rational part of him knew that he was really talking to himself. "Forgive Daddy. Forgive him for breaking your mother's heart, for causing all this. I- I'm sorry that I'm going to miss your birth, I'm probably going to miss raising you, all of that."

He could feel the presence of his little girl in that very room, however. As if it had grown stronger. He could feel a presence of childlike forgiveness enveloping him.

"Thank you, Allana," he said, about to cry from the open mind his child already had and the unending, irrevocable love she already had for both him and Tenel Ka. Even though he was such a monster, she did love him.

He went back to his datapad in a businesslike manner. He had appearances to keep up, after all, and duties to do, as well as his role to play. The Force ordained that he be Sith, and he would do it. One day, though, he was praying for redemption as a little more of him died inside.

He was sorry he also couldn't be there for Tenel Ka when she was greeting her family, including her witch of a grandmother, but they had never really liked him much anyway. He could feel her mounting frustration through their bond, woven with a complex sadness and longing, wishing he was there too.

"I'm sorry, Tenel," he said, using the nickname only he had ever dared use for her. "I'm so sorry."


	11. It's been rainin' since you left me

Rey noticed that she was under close observation at the moment, Leia or Luke or Han often trailing her around. Only with Finn did she feel fine. He let her be most of the time, and when he talked to her, he wasn't constantly asking her how she was. It was clear that she wasn't okay, okay?

"Hey, Rey, we need you to help us make repairs on the _Falcon_!" Han called.

"Coming!" Rey called, rolling her eyes. She looked to Finn, who she'd been chatting up. "Offspring duties call."

"Good luck," he said with a smile, and she went off to where Han and Chewie were still working on fixing some of the problems the _Millennium Falcon_ had from sitting in the sand for almost twenty years.

"What do you want, Han?" She asked. She called her parents by their first name, since she didn't really feel like they were a mother or a father to her. No one did.

"I need you to crawl inside the air ducts," Han admitted. "You're much smaller than I am-"

"Hand me the cleaning supplies," she ordered, and she began to crawl in. Outside, the same questions as usual came. Was she okay? Had she practiced her training today? That kind of thing. Rey appreciated the fact that they cared, but she wasn't in the mood to be treated like glass.

Little did she expect that when she dropped out, Han had whisked out a present in a box.

"What's this?" She asked, not sure what to expect.

"It's your birthday, Rey," he said slowly.

Of course she wouldn't know her real birthday.

"How old am I?" She asked.

"Twenty, now," Han admitted. "I know it isn't much, but Leia and I both thought it might come in handy-"

She accepted the box, and in it found a cloak that looked like stars had been spread all throughout it. She held it out, and realized that it was a bit long, but she loved it anyway.

"Thank you," she said as she tied the strings around her neck, ensconcing the cloak into place. "I love it!"

She hugged her father.

"I know you miss him, sweetheart," he said

"I get through it," she said with a shrug. "Now what else did you want me to fix?"

* * *

Ben and Zannah sat in the Emperor's quarters again, looking at the stars from Ben's guest bedroom. It reminded Zannah of the old days, the way things used to be for the two of them. Force she missed those days badly. She was a lot happier then, even though she didn't see Rain that much.

And Force, she missed Rain! Her sister was long gone, true, but she was a beautiful soul, one that everyone back at home mourned. It was said her nickname came because she brought rain to her village when they were having a drought when she was born. At that time, Zannah had been too young to remember, but. . .

"Look at that star," Ben said, interrupting her train of thought. "It's called the Amora Star. Supposed to be lucky for star-crossed lovers."

Zannah laughed at that. "Is that what you would call us? Star-crossed lovers?"

"Fate does seem to be against us, doesn't it?" He asked with a laugh.

"Not anymore," she said, leaning to kiss him. "Now that we're together."

"I see how you act around the other Knights of Ren," he said with a frown. "You don't want me to be around them, do you?"

She leaned back. "They think less of you."

"What if we could go somewhere where we could really feel like equals?" Ben asked, wrapping his arm around her. "What if we could run off and go somewhere where we could be together? What if it could be like the old days?"

"The old days are gone, Ben," Zannah said harshly. "It's no use wishing about it."

"But it isn't just some stupid dream," Ben protested. "The opportunity is right here in front of us. Can't you see it?"

"Can't I see what?" She asked sharply.

"We could steal a ship from the hangar," he murmured. "Just a TIE, nothing big. We could find BB-8 and get to the _Anakin_."

"Your family hates me," she protested.

"They won't," Ben promised. "Besides, don't listen to them, because what do they know? We need each other. We're like gravity, Zan-Zan."

"Zan-Zan?" She raised an eyebrow that was barely visible with her Sith scar.

Ben shrugged. "I thought it would be cute."

"So I'm not Ves to you anymore?" She asked, not sure whether to be pleased or upset.

"To me, you're whomever you want to be, Vestara or Zannah," he said, blue eyes locked onto her brown ones. He reached her mouse-brown hair that had lightened to the shade between blond and brown from the exposure to the light side.

"I want to be able to choose who I am," she said. "I'll go with you, wherever you go."

"Then let's do it," Ben said. "Tonight."

"Before I back out," she agreed. "Let me gather up some rations, and then we'll go, I promise."

He nodded and waited for her to come back.

* * *

Tenel Ka was at her wit's end. At every opportunity, Ta'Chume would take the time to remind them in case they'd forgotten in the last five minutes that Tenel Ka was still only engaged to Caedus, therefore technically making Allana a bastard child and disgrace. Isolder had defended his daughter viciously, reminding her that Allana would still have to be heir, as there were no other granddaughters or great-granddaughters. Still, it was enough for Tenel Ka to rip her red braids out.

They were sitting through a dinner with in-laws excluding Anakin and Tahiri who had gone missing mysteriously. Leia was sitting at the head of the table, much to Ta'Chume's displeasure, even though Leia was the matriarch of the Skywalker-Solo family.

"At least the Emperor isn't sitting at my granddaughter's dinner table," Ta'Chume said merrily. "I'm sure you are proud of that one."

Already, Han was considering going for his concealed DL-44 in his jacket, but the fact that Leia hadn't reached for her lightsaber and that she'd placed her hand over his wrist stopped him.

"Can we not talk about Caedus, please?" Leia asked, hiding that the fate of her son had pained her. "Let's talk about more. . . conversational topics."

"I do not see the big deal about talking about your Sith-lord offspring," Ta'Chume protested as she raised her goblet, some of Leia's remaining inheritance from her adoptive mother (Alderaanian dishes and silverware- fetched quite the price in the black market). "After all, he is remaining true to his roots. Darth Vader was your father, isn't that correct, General, Commander?"

"He died Anakin Skywalker," Luke answered firmly.

"Say what you will with your hokey cult you put my granddaughter in," Ta'Chume replied, unfazed by his statement. "But there is no denying that there were worse disgraces in the family than your son. For instance, I hear your daughter was about to marry another Sith-"

"He was once, but he redeemed himself!" Rey cried indignantly.

"The commander here married some vulgar assassin-"

"Wait, what?" The twins chorused, disturbed.

"And there was that angry little redhead devil child that was on _Playboy_ once," Ta'Chume finished.

Luke cocked his head and looked at Han and Leia, who turned bright red. They'd sworn to never tell Luke what Ben had once done in a moment of frustration when they'd first tried mentioning Vestara/Zannah to him after the attack. It had taken all their influence to keep the copies of that magazine from getting out. Needless to say, the Hapan court had obviously gotten pre-ordered copies somehow.

Luke then turned back to Ta'Chume with a cold mask on his face. "Mara Jade and Ben were not disgraces to the family, whatever mistakes they might have made. Please keep in mind that you are talking about my wife and child."

The old woman shrugged, and Tenel Ka stood up.

"I refuse to let you talk about my family that way," she snarled.

Ta'Chume leapt to her feet. "I am your family, Tenel Ka Chume Ta' Djo! Give me more respect!"

"Why don't you respect my in-laws?" Tenel Ka demanded. "It's not their fault that some things have happened to them, and they have been nothing but kind and loving to me!"

"That's enough-" Isolder began, but the women weren't finished.

"If you wanted me to respect them, you should've gotten yourself engaged to someone more honorable!" Ta'Chume shouted.

The room went to absolute quiet. There was fury on the half-Dathomiri Jedi/witch princess's face, and her hand reached for her lightsaber. To think she had used this tooth because it had meant something to her grandmother, that she had done it to make her proud, when she knew Ta'Chume had despised her Dathomiri witch mother and her Jedi status since she was old enough to be Force-sensitive!

"Jacen Solo was a wonderful man and the love of my life," Tenel Ka said in a low but resonant voice. "That is a fact. He was honorable, he loved all life, and he would give anything for his family. He might not be all those things anymore, but there is good in him, I swear it. He still loves me, I know it, and he loves m- I mean, our child, I can sense it! And that is all I have to say about that, Grandmother."

She turned to leave, but then stopped in her tracks. A little puddle had formed at Tenel Ka's feet.

"Her water broke," Rey said in a small voice.

"We'll get you to the med center," Leia said with a glance at Teneniel, and the two women ushered the young mother to the med center onboard the _Anakin_ , leaving Rey, Han, Luke, Isolder, Chewbacca, and Ta'Chume alone in the room. Not a good position for the former Queen-Mother of Hapes.

Recognizing this, the woman left the room quickly, and Han decided to follow to witness the birth of his first grandchild, escorted by Isolder. Luke and Rey were then left alone in the dining room.

"I sense much anger in you, Jaina," Luke said quietly.

Rey looked up, somewhat confused. "They'd mostly adapted to calling her by her nickname, but her real name meant something serious."

"I just got a little upset about thinking that Kylo was a disgrace, that's all," she said, brushing it off.

"You know, in the Old Republic," Luke said, tracing his finger over designs in the napkins. "They encouraged repressing of emotions in the Jedi Order. I want you to know that if you are feeling something, I want you to talk about it."

"I will," Rey lied.

"Don't lie to me Rey," Luke said firmly, and he had his niece sit down. "Listen to me. I've sensed a darkness in you, and it isn't just Kylo's capture, or Poe's, or even Ben's on top of that. It's been boiling within you for some time now. That isn't healthy."

"Well what do you want me to do about it?" She asked, frustrated.

"To start," Luke said. "From now on, I want you to tell me when you feel these things, okay?"

Rey nodded.

"Second, I think I was a bit hasty in appointing you to knighthood," Luke said, and Rey stood up.

"Does that mean that you're going to make me a Padwan again?" She asked indignantly.

"Force no, that nexu's out of the bag," Luke answered. "No, but I need to give you your final test. The real one."

"After we see Allana, right?" Rey asked, not wanting to miss the birth of her niece.

"After Allana," Luke agreed with a smile.


	12. I'll be there forever and a day

Zannah had drawn her hood up, and had given Ben his although it barely concealed his crutch. The two made their way through the most convoluted way possible to the TIE she'd gotten set aside. They'd been careful to keep their faces away from security cameras as they snuck down the _Mal'ary'ush_.

They entered the hangar, which had a few stormtroopers stationed around. The troopers mostly ignored them due to a minor mind-trick from Ben, and the two hopped into the TIE. That's when the troopers started shooting.

"What's the plan?" Ben asked.

"Get in the seat and fire!" She ordered, and she pushed Ben into the cockpit and he tried to hit targets while Zannah began flipping switches and looking for something.

"We're ready to go!" Ben protested. "We're not going to have a ship if you keep doing that!"

"I'm trying to find the tracker!" She shouted.

"I was going to crash it anyway," he replied. "We have to go!"

He then floored it before Zannah could have another choice in the matter. She clung to the ladder and prayed that Ben would let her drive. Unfortunately, he seemed very intent on crashing the TIE, despite all the fire behind him.

* * *

Jacen tried to reassure his fiancée through the birthing process, but he was pacing. He felt like Ta'Chume might try something on his daughter. His own daughter! He had to do something! He'd promised himself that he wouldn't interfere, but he had to, didn't he? How could he let something happen? Wasn't it his duty as a father?

The questions pounded in his mind with his heartbeat as he entered his private shuttle and checked it over once again for bombs, in case his guards had missed something or planted it themselves, and took the joystick. He wasn't really doing this, was he?

Apparently, he was as he drove closer and closer to his family and his Allana.

* * *

"Re-route, we need to go to Starkiller first," Luke said. "Your cousin sent out a distress signal with BB-8."

"I thought he got captured," Rey said with a frown.

"Apparently he escaped," Luke explained. "We'll get him, and then we'll take you to Dagobah."

"Dagobah? My final test?" She asked.

Luke smiled mysteriously, and the two got in the Falcon and began to fly to the planet.

* * *

"Kylo Ren, I want you to go after the prisoner and the traitor," Shira Ren ordered. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, Lady Shira," Kylo said, on his knees, as much as he hated it. He hated always being shoved around, told that he was no good for anything except the will of Shira and Snoke and supposedly the Emperor.

"Good." The redhead woman walked away, and Kylo felt a strange wave of animosity come over him. Something made him hate Shira more than he already did. He shrugged it off and went into his command shuttle.

* * *

It had been easier than Jacen had thought. Tenel Ka had been sleeping when he arrived, and it had been all-too-easy to take his child from the ward center, seeing as she was one of few there. It was easy to blind the cameras with the Force, to freeze the droids in their tracks.

He was sorry he had to take her, but he knew he had to. Immediately, his suspicions were confirmed when on the way to the more empty docking bay, Ta'Chume appeared, holding a vibrio blade, and she was clearly walking towards the nursery.

"Jacen Solo," Ta'Chume drawled. "How nice to see you again. Trying to make off with my granddaughter, are you?"

"I am Emperor Caedus now," Jacen said, forcing out the words. "Jacen Solo is gone." He unclipped his lightsaber and activated it. The hum made Allana shift uneasily in her sleep.

"What a pity," Ta'Chume said, stepping forwards. "And here I thought you actually cared about your bastard daughter. No matter. I will enjoy purging the disgraces of the Hapan line, though."

With that she lunged, and Jacen blocked quickly with his lightsaber, which shattered the blade. This did wake Allana, who looked up terrified to her father. Jacen put away the lightsaber and held her close.

"It's okay," he cooed. "No one will hurt you. Daddy's here, Daddy's got you."

That's when Ta'Chume threw a dart that Jacen barely dodged with the warning of the Force. He looked to her with anger. How dare she try to kill his daughter? He was right, and he hated it. He had to do one thing. Run.

* * *

Rey stepped onto the planet feeling uneasy. "Ben? Ben!"

The boy stepped forward with BB-8, gently supported by a Sith girl that Rey hadn't expected to see. She activated her lightsabers.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded.

"Zannah ran away with me," Ben explained, looking happier than Rey had ever seen him. Zannah smiled too.

"Like father like son," Luke said admiringly. "Like mother like daughter-in-law."

Zannah grinned wider at this.

"Well, let's get-"

"Not so fast."

Rey gasped and turned to see Kylo Ren in mask and suit.


	13. I'll be there til the stars don't shine

"Kylo, what are you doing?" She asked.

"It's time to bring you to justice, Jaina Solo," Kylo Ren said as he activated his purple blade. "You tried to capture me, and now I shall have my revenge."

Rey's eyes widened as her grip tightened on her lightsabers. "You've forgotten who you are."

"You made me forget, you put me through hell and back!" He shouted. "But I survived and escaped!"

"You call love hell?" She demanded. "Because I don't know what they've done to you, but I won't fight you."

"If you loved me, then swear a loyalty to me. To the Empire," he said with a smugness that filtered through the mask. "Swear your loyalty to me if you want me to believe you."

"I can't," Rey said, shaking her head and fighting back the tears. "Don't make me do this to you, Kylo. You came over on your own, and you can do it again. Come with me. I promise, no one will hurt you. We all love you, Kylo."

"Lies!" He spat. "It's all clear to me! I can see through the lies of the Jedi!"

With that he swung at her, trying to make a move for her right hand, her robotic hand. She used her blue crossguard to block, and tried to parry using only one end of her saber-staff. She didn't activate the other half for not wanting to hurt Kylo, just disarm him.

"Listen to me," she said through gritted teeth as the blades of light sparked. "If I can reach the part of you that remembers, I will. I love you, Kylo. I won't give up on you. Ever, even if you're going down a path that I can't follow!"

"You're impressive, most impressive, Solo, but you won't beat me," he snarled as he sent Darth Maul's saber-staff flying into the snow. Rey adjusted, placing both hands on the lightsaber. She looked back to Ben, Luke, and Zannah.

"What are you standing around here for?" She screamed. "Run! I'll hold him off!"

Luke hesitated.

"RUN!" She ordered, before pushing Kylo's blade off of her for a few seconds to regain her stamina. Father, son, and girlfriend obeyed her orders and ran to Luke's ship. Only BB-8 was stubborn enough to stay behind. Just in time, Rey looked back to block another swing.

Rey used a Force-push to send him on his back. He got to his feet, and began lifting rocks around her. She used her lightsaber to cut through him, and began trying to fight fire with fire.

He cut through the rocks even more effortlessly, and for once Rey understood why everyone had feared this Knight of Ren in particular. After a near-miss that sent her into a tree, the branches scratching some of her face, she got up and let the anger at the Knights of Ren for doing this to her flow.

Emerald lightning, not black, shot out of her hands before she could stop it. Kylo blocked it with her lightsaber, and Rey looked down at her hands, absolutely horrified. What had she almost done to the love of her life? How could she have?

Kylo Ren watched her and stalked closer, smirking at the hypocrisy of the Jedi. Jaina Solo had just tapped into the dark side.

"You would make a fine Knight of Ren, Jaina Solo," he said. "Your power with lightning is amazing. Join me, and we could be together as you so foolishly claim you want to be."

"And what would I become?" Rey asked, looking down at her hands. "You're breaking my heart."

Her voice cracked, in a very similar fashion to her grandmother's. She then looked down at her lightsaber again. Then she threw it to the side, deactivated.

"I will not turn," she declared. "For I am a Jedi, like my brothers before me, my mother before them, my nuke before her, and my grandfather before him."

She felt the heat of the lightsaber draw nearer, but she would not flinch. She would not close her eyes, no matter the temptation. She didn't want to miss any of her end, her demise.

"I have one request," she said, looking him straight in the eye slits.

"What are they?" He asked, sounding annoyed.

"One kiss," she said. "From you. Not unreasonable, is it?"

"Fine," he grumbled. "Close your eyes."

Not wanting to argue with what was possibly her last chance to save him and herself, she closed her eyes, waiting. She then felt his lips on hers, and she seized the chance. She dug her fingers into his curls, weaving them in and out. She opened herself up in the Force to him, letting all her light shine brilliantly.

Kylo thought it would be horribly unpractical, letting the girl have his secrets as well as him having her, but if he really was to kill her after this happened. . . Besides, being now a soul of curious, selfish greed, he opened himself up to her, wondering what the Light Side really felt like.

What she felt was all his pain, misery, fear, and hatred. She absorbed it, though, providing a gentle reassurance. Each memory and secret surprised her, but she didn't love him any less for each skeleton in the closet. In fact, even though she hadn't thought it possible, she loved him more.

As for what he felt, he experienced the warm glow of true love. Acceptance for whatever monster he might be, no matter what he might have done. Pure acceptance, forgiveness, and kindness. He also experienced memories of him and her, coming back every second, triggering his own.

Suddenly, Kylo felt guilty. He had almost mindlessly slaughtered the woman he loved. He felt both like telling her to run far away from him, felt like he didn't deserve her warm, forgiving touch, and like pulling her close, never wanting to lose her again like he almost did. Mostly, though he was angry with himself for letting it happen. Never again, he promised.

He let go of her, and sank into the snow, sobbing. What had he almost let himself do? Rey got down on her knees in from of him, only concern on her face.

"Don't touch me!" He wailed. "I almost killed you. I deserve to die. R-Run, while you still can."

"Don't say that," she scolded gently, and her hands slipped under Kylo's chin. "It wasn't your fault. It was Kira Ren's. You weren't you."

"I let it happen." He refused to look at her, and his voice was almost a whisper.

"Listen to me, Kylo, and listen right now," she said firmly. He reluctantly raised his dark green eyes up to her blazing brown ones. "You deserve love. You deserve warmth. You deserve light. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I love you and forgive you, and nothing can change that."

"I love you too, Rey," he said, his voice now a complete whisper. She took him into her arms and cradled him as BB-8 rolled up, wondering why the world had gone insane.


	14. And i will love you baby

There were many things that the Emperor was talented at. Getting Allana to sleep was _not_ one of them. He'd rocked her, changed her diaper, even gave her milk. He'd tried everything. His royal guards were looking at him as if he was insane, and he just wanted the kid to sleep. But he wouldn't hand her over to anyone. No way she'd go out of his sight ever again.

He'd sing to her, except he didn't know anything besides The Song That Never Ends. Yeah, his mom used to sing to him, but he'd long forgotten the words of the Alderaanian lullaby. He shrugged. It was worth a try at this point.

"This is the song that never ends," he began in softer, slower version. "Yes it goes on and on my friend. . ."

Much to everyone's amazement, it worked. The baby girl was slowly falling asleep to the song that had already annoyed the royal guards into leaving. In spite of himself, Jacen smiled.

He loved his daughter much more than he ever thought he could love anyone of anything. He held tight and would never let go. If he could make this world safer for her, it would all be worth it.

* * *

Ta'Chume was a mess by the time Kylo and Rey had returned to find out what had happened while they were gone.

"I tried to stop him, but the Emperor himself took my granddaughter!" She cried to an angry Tenel Ka.

"And what were those shattered vibrio-blades about?" Tenel Ka demanded.

"I was merely protecting my only great-granddaughter," Ta'Chume protested, but Tenel Ka lifted her lightsaber so that the green blade was inches from the old woman's neck.

"You were trying to kill Allana, weren't you?" Tenel Ka demanded. "And Jacen stopped you."

Part of her heart swelled at this. There was still good in Jacen after all. There was still love for his daughter, and for her in him.

"That doesn't sound like Caedus," Han reminded them. "I doubt he'd do it out of the kindness of his heart, especially since he still has the kid."

"He's probably using her as a hostage," Leia said. "He'll use her to try to get something from us, I have no doubt about that."

Kylo and Rey, who were completely unnoticed, stared.

Fear was pumping through his mind. He tried to be good, he really did try, but he still couldn't evade the dark side in the end. And yet, Jacen Solo, a former Jedi Knight and Resistance hero was considered beyond goodness. How was _he_ worth any redemption?

Sensing his thoughts with their tighter bond, she reached out with the Force, surrounding him in a blanket of warmth and acceptance and forgiveness. Physically, she took his hand and smiled encouragingly back at him, even though they both knew her thoughts were tumbling around.

Yes, Kylo was on her mind, but she was also thinking of Jaysa. How a week ago she'd said that Jacen was dead and Caedus had taken his body. She knew now that she was wrong, having redeemed Kylo twice. She also just knew in that it didn't feel right, hearing her parents talk about her brother that way.

 _They just don't understand the dark side,_ Kylo told her. _Remember, the General never really uses the Force that much. And Captain Solo isn't Force-sensitive._

 _Then why doesn't someone just say something?!_ Rey now knew who her brother was. Someone who went down the wrong path? Yes. Someone who was dead inside and gone? No. Someone who could be redeemed? Definitely.

 _You could,_ Kylo suggested.

"What makes it so hard to believe that Jacen might've wanted to protect Allana?" Rey asked. "That he might want her to keep her safe because he loves her?"

Tenel Ka looked at her gratefully.

"He's Sith," Leia said. "Jacen is dead. Caedus was born within him and took over. Allana is not Caedus's child."

"How can you say that?" Rey demanded. "Just because he's on the dark side now doesn't mean that he isn't still Jacen! Just because Kylo went dark didn't mean that he wasn't still Kylo!"

"So that's the Sith son-in-law," Ta'Chume interrupted. "Hair like some heathen savage-"

"Oh we are not finished with you," Tenel Ka snarled. "Let me escort you personally to your new quarters."

Using the lightsaber as a tool to threaten, she pointed it at Ta'Chume's back and they walked away.

Leia and Han stared at her.

"Rey, you're back, and Kylo!" Han hugged her, but Rey broke free.

"Why don't you believe that Jacen can be saved? What makes him beyond redemption when Anakin Skywalker was turned to the light?" She demanded.

"Caedus is the Emperor, something Vader never was," Leia informed her coolly.

"So that makes him worse?" Rey asked incredulously.

"He leads the Knights of Ren, he killed Mara, and he turned Tahiri with him!" Leia said in an explosion of fury. "He believes he's completely justified! He won't turn back!"

"I think you're wrong," Rey said. "Come on, Kylo. We're going to find Anakin and Tahiri. Then we're going to take on the _Mal'ary'ush_."

* * *

 **AN: For those thinking that Han and Leia are a bit harsh, remember how they were in Legacy of the Force? They were quite disgusting as parents there.**

 **Also, sorry for lack of updates. I'll try to wrap this up in the next eight days!**


	15. And the words don't rhyme

Tahiri sat in the old hut that used to belong to the creature Master Skywalker had called Yoda. While the planet, she sat cross-legged, like she used to during the meditation times at the Praxeum. Maybe it would be easier to get back everything she lost.

Despite being fourteen and really bubbly, she'd always been a mature child. Perhaps that was from hanging around Anakin so much. Even though they were three years apart, she felt just as old as he was. Perhaps that was because when she first arrived at the Jedi Academy, he was the first to welcome her, and didn't treat her like a child despite being one of the youngest there, if not the youngest.

She'd been happy in the Academy, she remembered that. It had all been fine until her first mission. Master Horn had thought that she was ready. She wasn't. She let out a sob and struggled to maintain the meditation position.

They were just going to check out a distress signal at Bakura, but it had escalated quickly. The Knights of Ren had been waiting for them, and they'd overwhelmed them. Tahiri was captured, and Master Horn was forced to abandon the mission.

During her time being tortured by the Sith, she'd earned her three scars, with a Sith spell applied to it. She wasn't entirely sure how it worked, but it cursed her with the presence of Janus Ren in her mind, a follower who had been dying.

Tahiri never showed it afterward, but she was always fighting to keep herself on top, herself on the surface. It was a fight to keep the cold-blooded killer from unleashing itself. Sometimes they could work together in a fight, but Tahiri and Janus were locked in a mental fight every day, all day. Anakin didn't even know about the fight she was in.

Now Tahiri knew about pain. She swam in while others drowned. But the worst pain had come when the dreams had. Janus taunted her with them constantly, so that all she could see was Anakin's last breath, his corpse, his Force-ghost. Many versions of the same fate. She didn't know what to do. That's when Caedus had found her.

She shivered at the thought, and broke the mediation position to hug her knees close to her chest. She rocked back in forth in that little ball. His voice was a seductive snake that slithered around her head, hissing promises that he never kept. That she'd save Anakin. That she could be the Knights of Ren's pride.

Something in her made her heart beat faster, more triumphant. He might've tried to twist her and break her, but she'd survived. And she made the choice again and again. She would never let Janus take control again.

When she opened her eyes, she felt a presence in the Force, begging her to open up. Anakin's.

How had he found her here, of all places? She got up, and clipped her lightsaber to her belt. She trekked outside where it was raining bucket loads. Yet, standing in front of his Z-95 Headhunter, the _Sunrider_ , was Anakin, arms raised in attempt to shield his face from the downpour.

Tahiri's feet slapped through the swamp water, her arms and legs pumping faster and faster. No one could tell that she was crying because of the rain, and because they weren't tears of sadness. They were tears of joy. Even if she didn't want to put him at risk of Janus, she never could help herself when he was around.

He stepped forward tentatively around the deeper waters on the mosses, and she leapt over the small lake with the Force. She landed effortlessly and right into his arms.

Anakin and Tahiri embraced both physically and in the Force. She let everything come out, even the secret of Janus Ren. The secret she'd never told anyone, and she felt relief in him knowing.

He stroked her frizzy blond curls.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He yelled over the storm.

"I thought I could beat her on my own!" She answered.

"And you did," he said, smiling at her. "You beat her. You're the strongest person I know, Tee."

"That's not true," she insisted with a smirk.

"But it is," he protested, and she brushed away a longer strand of his bangs.

"Fine," she conceded. "But I didn't want you to come because I could feel her coming back."

"I could've helped you," he said. "And I will. We'll do it together, Tee."

"Together, Ani," she agreed, and they kissed. They broke away when they heard another ship landing. They panicked and drew their lightsabers, the blue and purple shimmering and hissing in the rain.

The _Millennium Falcon_ landed, and out stepped six figures. Tenel Ka Djo, Finn, Kylo Ren, Ben, Zannah, and Rey. They came closer and closer to the couple, only deterred by the winds. By some unspoken agreement, the group went into Yoda's old hut, where it was a bit crowded, but they could talk.

"What were you doing here?" Finn asked Tahiri.

The couple glanced at each other, and Rey glanced at the bed, and everyone wrinkled their faces in disgust.

"Anyway," Rey said, eager to change the subject. "We need your help."

"With what?" Anakin asked.

"We're going to launch an attack on the Mal'ary'ush," Tenel Ka declared. "We're going to try and redeem Jacen."

"Why haven't we done that sooner?" Anakin asked, ice-blue eyes widening. "Well come on, what are we waiting for?"

He then headed out, and they first attached the _Sunrider_ to the _Falcon_ , and they were off.

* * *

On the _Mal'ary'ush_ , Shira Ren was having a bad day. First, Kylo had been redeemed by the stupid Solo girl. Then she heard that Emperor Caedus had his child with him now.

She didn't want his soft leadership, with a little Solo brat running around the warship. She wanted war, and conquest. All she'd ever been good at was fighting. That was what her mother, Lumiya, the last Sith (she refused to accept Caedus as her mother's successor), had told her. And she'd also told her that her father had abandoned them.

Luke Skywalker. How she hated him, for abandoning them, for exiling them both. How she hated Mara Jade more. She only wished that she could've killed the Emperor's Hand herself. Mara Jade had stolen everything from her mother. And that brat, Ben, her half-brother? She wanted to kill him, and she would've, even if he had become Aquarius Ren. The idea that they were going to live made her tense.

Shira knew it was petty, but she wanted her revenge on Skywalker, and she would have it, no matter what it took. She stared out at the stars, plotting the next step in avenging her mother.


	16. When he pulls you close

Jacen held Allana close in sleep. He'd read up on the method and was careful not to roll onto his daughter. Part of it was the fatherly senses kicking in. He was just grateful that both of them could sleep at this point. A part of him was grateful that he would have a part in his daughter's life.

"Allie," he murmured in his sleep. Images, between Lumiya, Rey, Anakin, Tenel Ka, and visions of his daughter growing up flashed in his dreams. Manipulator, sister, savior, sweetheart, and his pride and joy.

"Sir?" The guards were given very strict instructions to try and not wake the child. Jacen slowly sat up, and checked on Allana, and then looked to the guard/alarm clock.

"What?" He barked.

"Snoke Ren wants you in a meeting," the guard explained nervously. "He explicitly said not to bring the baby. He despises it."

"Does he now?" Jacen snarled, making all of the guards fear for their lives. They'd seen what had happened when their Emperor had gotten truly furious, especially with incompetent workers.

"Sir, we were-"

"Don't worry, I appreciate your efforts, Ghilsiane. I am not angry with you." Jacen sighed, and out on the backpack over his cloak that he used to cart Allana around. He had the sound belt with the techno Imperial March ready for his dramatic entrance.

* * *

The _Falcon_ started with the _Sunrider_ having Tahiri and Anakin infiltrate to let them in. The Z-95 was allowed into the hangar, but the radio was buzzing.

"Alright, we're going to need you to identify yourself."

Anakin and Tahiri fumbled to turn it off.

"Where's the hangar coding?" Anakin hissed, holding up his datapad.

"I don't know, you're the slicing genius!" Tahiri hissed back.

"Please identify yourself."

"Hurry!" Tahiri urged.

"I'm almost in," Anakin said, his tongue playing at the corner of his mouth in concentration.

"Please i-"

On an impulse, Tahiri pressed the trigger, and the control tower was blasted.

Anakin then pumped his fist. "I'm in, let's bring in the Falcon."

* * *

Jacen entered with his theme music playing. Much to his anger, Snoke was sitting in his throne.

"Did you forget your place?" He snarled.

"I did not, but I think you forgot yours!" Snoke said, rising. "My boy, you've forgotten who is the real leader of the Knights of Ren, the Founder."

"Lord Revan?" Jacen raised his eyebrows. "The Revanchist."

"I mean of the current order!" Snoke yelled angrily.

"I don't believe this," Jacen murmured, turning to signal his guard, when his Jedi reflexes snapped into action. He whipped out his blood-red blade, and barely blocked the saber pike of Snoke.

"You tried to kill Allana!" Jacen shouted, feeling his daughter's fear in the Force. He pushed Snoke back, and stormed at him.

"No one wants the brat around!" Snoke protested, taking a swing.

"I do," Jacen said in a deadly whisper as he blocked. Lightning crackled in his fingertips.

"No one cares what you want, boy!" Snoke barked, and they locked blades.

"I am the Emperor, not a boy, and you should care!" Jacen roared, and he let go of one hand to shoot blue lightning at the Callah. Snoke twitched and screamed, but Jacen would have no mercy, even as Allana's wails of fear mingled with the cries of pain. Finally, the snake-like Knight was put out of his misery.

Jacen breathed heavily, and deactivated his lightsaber. He then took Allana out of her pack, feeling particularly guilty. He'd terrified her. He held his daughter close and had sent reassuring thoughts.

* * *

Rey landed in the chaos of the landing bay divided against itself. Lightsabers activated, and they began taking on the staff-wielding Stormtroopers. With a bunch of hits swings, and misses, the group had finally gained control of the landing bay.

But right at the wreck of the control room, standing at the edge, was Kira Ren.


	17. You see i've always been a fighter

"You stole Kylo's memories," Rey snarled. "It's time for you to die."

With that, Rey leapt at Kira, who used the Force to push her onto the ground. Rey yelped in pain and barely blocked the twin magenta blades with her saber-staff. Kira smirked and cut right through the staff, causing it to break into two and sputter.

Rey leapt to her feet, and activated the blue trisaber. She looked at Kylo, they nodded, and they both took her on as Finn, Tahiri, Ben, Zannah, and Anakin ran past to their objective missions.

Kira swung and was blocked by Kylo and locked blades with him, giving Rey just the distraction she needed. She disarmed Kira of her lightsaber, and ran to pick it up. Instead of taking her hand to her lightsaber, she pulled out her poison gun and began shooting it at Rey, who blocked.

Kylo and Kira were at an impasse, not able to overpower the other. While Kylo had naturally stronger muscles, Kira made up for it with a Force push powering her sword work. Rey drew closer and closer, and then she cut off the barrel of the poison gun, just as Kylo cut off the top of her lightsaber, effectively breaking it.

She backed up, and pulled out the rifle that alternately worked as a staff that could defend against lightsabers. She then smirked.

"You think you've won, little Jedi, but you have no idea of the power of the dark side of the Force."

* * *

Traya Ren's body slumped to the floor. The Echani woman's dying gasp was music to Shira's ears. The Chiss Voss was beside her, his blood splattered against the white ("so artistically done" had been his last words remarking the subject). Ulic Ren stood in front of the youngling Knights of Ren.

It was the first time that Shira had ever suspected that Ulic had a heart left. She'd assumed that there was no love left in him and that he'd become the perfect bloodthirsty, Jedi-hunting monster that benefitted the Knights of Ren oh-so-well.

"You won't hurt them," he snarled, getting ready to light up his light-axe. "I won't let you."

"You won't stand in my way," Shira scoffed. "You'll only be the first of many to die. . . Unless you join me. I have the secrets you always wanted. Like your true name and parentage. And I've known you for all your life. You're a killer with a lust for revenge."

One of the softer young recruits, Shmi Ren, gasped.

"That isn't true, Ulic," she said tearfully.

He sighed, looking much older than fifteen. "It's true. Or at least, it used to be," he admitted. He looked to Zekk, Jaq, Alema, and Nomi. They all then activated their various light-weapons, and stared down their former superiors.

"Knights don't turn on each other," Alema snarled.

"But Sith do, and I claim my mother's title, Darth Lumiya," Shira snarled. "The Rule of Two. Two, there are. No more, no less."

She then activated her light-whip and flicked it, instantly slicing Jaq in half. Nomi was then decapitated, and Zekk was quickly taken out, but Ulic defended himself well enough.

He looked to the children.

"Run," he ordered. Lead by Shmi Ren, the younglings ran for their lives. He then blocked another attack from Shira. That's when the black lightning coursed through his body. He dropped his light-axe, ending up with excruciating pain in his leg. He screamed profanities as Shira laughed.

"So this is what you look like when you die, Atton Rand," Shira hissed as he took his dying breath. His eyes went glassy, and she kicked the body aside.

* * *

Rey was done with the mind-games. She started pushing up her shields, and was able to break free of the mind-control to see Kylo's tear-filled face. She knew that Kira couldn't really fight them or she wouldn't be toying with them like that.

Rey attacked Kira, breaking the other lady's concentration.

Kylo snapped out of it, and they briefly clashed over the rifle. It clattered to the ground, and Rey had her blade to Kira's neck.

"Any last words?" She snarled.

"Rey," Kylo said in a cold voice that made Rey fear he'd reverted to his old self. "Give me the other blade. I need to do this myself."

She nodded, and gave him the magenta blade. He took it and had the blades crossed to quickly behead her.

"Give me mercy," Kira said breathlessly. "Make it quick."

"We used to fight side-by-side, and I used to think that you honestly cared about me, but I know what you really are, now," he said with a sad voice. "You only want to destroy everything beautiful because you have no beauty within you. I don't hate you, I pity you."

With that, he beheaded her. He breathed heavily as he deactivated his lightsabers, staring at the body.

"Are you alright?" Rey asked.

He shook his head. "I'm never going to be entirely alright," he admitted. Then he looked at her, his eyes greener than ever. "But I'm as close as I can be."

She embraced him, and the two of them ran to the elevators to face off against Emperor Caedus.

* * *

"Nice, what you do to your allies," Anakin called, stopping Shira from exiting the room. "Don't know what they did to tick you off so royally, but I bet I wish I hadn't missed it."

"Shut it, Solo," Shira snarled. "I see that you and Janus are present."

"I am not Janus, and I never will be," Tahiri snarled, and she drew her blade that was as blue as Anakin's eyes. "My name is TAHIRI VEILA!"

She launched herself at the woman, and Anakin and her dueled the whip-wielder. They were no slouches or strangers to dueling. The two of them weaved their blades effortlessly and gracefully like the Jedi of the Old Republic once did against the light-whip.

Then Tahiri tried to make a break for Shira's neck. Shira sensed this and pushed her to the ground, and into the hallway that had laser wall paneling for security. She pushed the right buttons with the Force, locking Tahiri in for just long enough to buy her time.

That's when Tahiri saw it, like she had in her most frequent dreams. It seemed to happen in slow-motion, all surreal with the senses pricking at her. The brilliance of Shira's light-whip going through Anakin's chest. The smell of blood piercing the air. The disturbance in the Force she felt that made her world rattle around. The sound of Anakin's dying gasp. All of it came together to form one image. Anakin lying dead on the ground, his purple lightsaber still glowing but cast aside, slowly searing through the durosteel floor.

Tahiri screamed.


	18. But without you i give up

Rey and Kylo heard the scream and ran into the room. Rey let out a little shriek at Anakin's dead body. His blue eyes were glassy, and she touched him, and felt no heartbeat.

"WHY ME?!" Tahiri wailed, anger on her face as the tears streamed down and her blond curls fanned out behind her. She activated her lightsaber as she waited for the door to open. "Why is it always me that the Knights of Ren want?"

"What are you talking about?" Kylo asked.

"Bonding me with Janus Ren," Tahiri said. "Trying to scare me into being a Knight of Ren. Killing Anakin. I can see it, you want me to turn, don't you? But you don't understand how love works, do you? I WILL NEVER SERVE YOU!"

Shira laughed bitterly. "I know how love works, Veila, if you insist on being that personality. I loved my mother, after all. Do you know who my mother was?"

"No, and I don't care," Tahiri snarled.

"And there's Janus again," Shira laughed. "But my mother was Darth Lumiya, the last of the true Sith. Darth Vader secretly trained her as well as her being another Emperor's Hand, not that Mara Jade knew about her."

She burst out into insane laughter. "Mara Jade, the perfect Emperor's Hand, Palpatine's favorite. The one that got Luke in the end. The one that my mother and I enjoyed making Caedus Ren slay. I danced the day that she died!"

"Wait, hold up, what about Uncle Luke?" Rey demanded, shaking her head to clear it.

"Well, isn't that precious," Shira sneered. "Didn't he tell you he had a daughter?"

Everyone's jaw dropped. Well, except for Anakin's. Since he was dead and all.

"You're Luke Skywalker's daughter?" Kylo asked, eyes widening.

Shira smirked in reply.

"That still doesn't answer my question," Tahiri said, biding her time until the door would pop open. "Why have you been going after me, and not Anakin? He's stronger than me as a swordsman and in the Force."

"You've been a little too modest," Shira said. "You were always his equal."

"I don't understand," Tahiri admitted. "He's the grandson of Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker's nephew. He's supposed to be the next Grandmaster of the Order."

"If that's what you could call it," Rey muttered, remembering the scattered younglings and adults, and how Uncle Luke had given her the title of Jedi Knight too early.

"You want the truth? Good, I've been waiting for this day for a long time," Shira said zealously. "We created you. We manipulated the Force in your mother to create you. You have no father. In fact, we would've retrieved you shortly after birth if it hadn't been for those damn Tusken Raiders."

"They saved my life," Tahiri exhaled. "All this time, they told me that my mother had died in an accident, when they had saved me from you!"

That's when the door opened. She ran. But instead of running at Shira like everyone expected, she ran to Anakin and began shaking her shoulders. She knew it was hopeless, but part of her kept praying that it was a trick, that he wasn't dead.

"WAKE UP!" She screamed. She then broke down into sobs, and lay down beside Anakin. "Y-You promised. That nothing would ever happen to you."

"Sometimes, we can't keep our promises," Kylo said quietly.

"But that's what love is," Tahiri sobbed as she caressed Anakin's already-cold face. "Keeping the promise anyway."

She touched her forehead to his. "I refuse to believe that you're dead, Ani," she said in a voice that broke Rey and Kylo's hearts. "I'm going to find a way to bring you back, I promise."

She then kissed him, and sat up. "I refuse to accept this."

She placed her hands on his chest. "When I love, I love forever, and I promise that I'll reverse this. We were the Chosen Ones, remember? Like Ikrit told us?"

She then yelled his name, closed her eyes, and energy surged through his body. Shira, having recognized the technique of flow-walking, but never having used it due to only Jacen and Tahiri having learned it, tried to stop the process, but Kylo and Rey defended their friend.

Their blades crashed and clashed together in pure light and passion, and they were fighting for much more than their lives, somehow. It was a fight against a manipulating avenger and the ones who wanted to be good.

* * *

Tahiri was in a whole other world. All she saw were moments that they were together in what felt like an infinite timeline. Her and Anakin, freeing the souls of the Massassi children. Him rescuing her from the Knights of Ren after her bonding with Janus. How they met at the Academy. Moments on top of ruins on Yavin. Starlit nights. Training together under Master Ikrit.

 _There's a party in the Anakin from a successful mission. The older X-wing pilots were already halfway to drunk, and her and Anakin were of course too young. Tahiri walked off to the balcony and when no one was looking, kicked off her shoes. She hated the stuffy dress uniform, especially because it was supposed to be an overly elaborate rendition of her orange flightsuit. Except it was green, with gold tassels and epaulets, and was really itchy. She headed out to the little alcove, and she unzipped it, and stepped outside in her black tank-top and her shorts that were a bit short._

 _"I guess you really don't like the uniform, do you?"_

 _Tahiri turned around and blushed. She didn't realize that anyone would be watching. Her crush had just seen her in one of the skimpiest possible outfits. Not that it really mattered, seeing as it didn't show that much._

 _"Not really," she admitted. "You look great in yours, though."_

 _"Thanks," he said with a trademark Solo grin. "Mind if I escape the party with you?"_

 _"Sure," she said, fighting to restrain her blush. They stood close to the glass and watched the stars outside. "When do you think there'll be an end to all this fighting?"_

 _"I don't know," he admitted. "There's never an end to the war of good vs. evil, though."_

 _"That's tiring, though," she complained. "I'm tired, of having to fight all the time, having to struggle."_

 _"So am I," he said as he reached for her hand. She accepted it, wondering where it was going. "But someone has to do the fighting."_

 _"But you were meant to do this," she said. "You were practically born a Messiah."_

 _"Maybe, but you have that power too," he told her. "To fight evil forever. You're one of the strongest people I know. The strongest woman I know."_

 _"Woman?" Tahiri raised an eyebrow._

 _"Young lady?" Anakin squeaked, blushing furiously._

 _"Ani, are you hitting on me?" She asked coyly, or in imitation of what she'd seen in holo films._

 _"If you like it, Tee, yes," he said, smiling nervously._

 _"I do," she admitted. Her hand began crawling up to his epaulet._

 _"There's something I've been meaning to tell you for a long time," he said._

 _"Me too, if you're thinking what I'm thinking," she said._

 _"I probably am," he said, grinning again. "Great minds think alike."_

 _"Just stop it and tell me," she said, swatting him._

 _"I just want to say that if you don't feel what I feel, please tell me so I can go suffer alone," he said. "I've loved you forever, Tee. You're my best friend, but I want to be more than that."_

 _"Like sweethearts?" Tahiri asked._

 _"Exactly sweethearts," he said, smiling nervously. "Do you feel it too?"_

 _"I always have and always will," Tahiri promised. "When I love, I love forever."_

 _They drew in for a kiss._

* * *

Kylo was thrown against the wall as his lightsaber clattered to the ground.

"Dance!" Shira shrieked, throwing jolts of black lightning, making him jump and yelp. "Dance like a pwetty ballerina, Kylo!"

"Stop, please!" Kylo begged.

"Stop torturing my apprentices," a cool voice said.

"Father," Shira snarled, turning to see Luke standing in the doorway. "You've finally come to fix your mistake."

He shook his head. "I didn't know until I looked into your heart, just now, Shira. You have one last chance to bring yourself back. I can train you to be a Jedi. I can help you. You don't have to be alone."

"Now? After all this time, you come back?" She screeched. "You will pay for your crimes against my mother!"

Instead of writhing, Luke redirected it, turning it green in the process. He looked to Rey.

"Let the emerald judgement decide!" He declared. "Rey, tap into your lightning as well as the love in your heart."

Rey added in her own green lightning that made Shira turn to pure light, and then she was gone.


	19. You'll be on my mind when i die

Luke looked at Rey.

"What happened to all the other Knights of Ren?" He asked.

"Shira killed all of them, by the look of it," Kylo answered, looking around at the fallen bodies. "I think I saw the younglings run off to hide somewhere in the Mal'ary'ush."

"What happened to Tahiri and Anakin?" Luke asked, looking at Anakin's bloodstained body and Tahiri lying on top of him, both of them pale and deathly looking.

"Anakin's dead, Tahiri just screamed and lay down beside him after shooting some sort of energy into him," Rey answered.

"So she's flow-walking," Luke mused.

"Flow-walking?" The couple chorused.

"An ancient Sith technique meant to revive the dead. I wonder where she learned it," Luke said. He then shrugged. "We've got to get to Jacen before it's too late."

Rey felt as if a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders by Luke calling him Jacen as well. It meant that she wasn't the only one who believed in her twin. Even if she hadn't known of his existence for the longest time, he was her other half and he had been an important mental presence in her lonely childhood. She refused to give up on him.

* * *

Zannah and Ben found the cowering Knights of Ren.

"Are you here to kill us, too?" Atris Ren demanded.

"No," Zannah said, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Shira almost got us if it weren't for Ulic Ren," Shmi Ren explained. "All the others are dead, even Snoke!"

"Is the Emperor dead?" Ben asked.

"No, as far as we know, he's still alive," Atris replied.

"Well go into the hangar, wait there. The Jedi will give you refuge," Ben ordered. "Please, we don't want to hurt any of you."

"How do we know that this isn't a trick?" One kid asked distrustfully. "You were never one of us, Zannah Khai."

"I promise, I won't hurt any of you," Ben said. "Please, get out before Shira can kill all of you."

They nodded and ran off.

Ben looked at Zannah.

"What did they mean about you not being one of them?" He asked.

"I wasn't always a Knight of Ren," she admitted quietly. "I had a sister, who we called Rain. She'd gotten terribly ill with an incurable disease. That was around the time I'd joined the Jedi. Clighal had told me that there was no hope for her. So I went around digging, and the Knights of Ren came knocking."

"So that's how you joined," Ben realized.

"Yes," Zannah said, and they stood there for a moment. "Do you really have to face him?"

"He killed my mother," Ben snarled. "I need to face him more than anything ever."

"Be careful," Zannah said. "The dark side is strong in you, Ben Skywalker, and I'm the only Sith in this relationship."

She kissed him, and then slipped away to the hangar as Ben held his mother's old lightsaber in his hand. He'd lost his own, but the magenta lightsaber felt just right to him. He was a Jade and a Skywalker.

He walked to the lightsaber to face his cousin for the final time.

* * *

Finn had disabled the stormtroopers and was slowly letting out all of the Resistance prisoners in the Mal'ary'ush. One of them was Poe, who he had to drag out bloody and half-dead. But they were alive, and were going to be okay. For that, he was grateful.

* * *

 _Another moment. . ._

 _It was after a Resistance mission in which they'd been fighting for their life's for thirty-six straight hours. After a torturous caff-filled paperwork session, Tahiri looked at the map of the ship helplessly. Her room was on the other side of the ship._

 _Anakin looked over at her with dark circles under his eyes. "Do you want to sleep in my cabin?"_

 _"Um..." Tahiri blushed. "How far is it?"_

 _"Just a short elevator ride," Anakin promised._

 _She sighed and nodded. The elevator ride was tedious. When they finally got into the room, all they did was kick off their shoes and Anakin threw off his jacket before they crawled onto the bed, completely exhausted._

 _The most beautiful thing was the morning after the next, when she awoke with his hands entwined in her curls, his head on her chest, and their bodies pressed close together under the sheets._

Tahiri pushed back the pool of tears in her world that she was swimming in. She refused to drown. She'd always been strong, and she'd always swam in her pain, never downed. She never would, even though this pain hurt the most.

* * *

Four Jedi stood in the elevator shaft that led to the exclusive level that was only used as quarters and the throne room for the Emperor. As Ben, Luke, Rey, and Kylo had expected, Jacen was sitting in his throne.

What they didn't expect was for him to be holding his daughter in his arms, looking at her lovingly, singing "The Song That Never Ends" like a lullaby, and being a father in general.

"Now you will pay for killing my mom," Ben snarled.

"Ben, that isn't the Jedi way," Luke admonished.

"I DON'T CARE!" Ben burst out.

"Ben, please, let me explain," Jacen said, standing up.

"I don't want to hear anything you have to say!" He yelled.

"But you will, you will," Jacen said sadly. "Just hear me out, and then you can kill me, I promise."

"Fine," Ben said.

"Give Allana to me," Rey said gently.

Jacen reluctantly surrendered his daughter to his twin.

"I'm sorry, to have caused the pain on all of you," he said. "It started with the tassels we found Uncle Luke. Remember when you told me to go investigate? That's when I went to Korriban and found Lumiya. She seemed to have all the answers, and like a fool, I listened to her. The tassels showed me prophecies, and almost all of them had Uncle Luke going evil and destroying everything. In only one did peace get restored. The one where I became Sith.

"It was the hardest decision of my life, but I wanted to help the world. I took it too far. I forgot to save myself. I'm stuck now, but all I wanted to do was bring peace so that we could live in a happier world," Jacen finished. "I did it for Allana. I'm sorry."

* * *

Tahiri felt herself coming back to reality. She tried to cling on to the past, but she was in the room filled with blood, and Anakin's body was cold. She began to cry tears onto the body. That's when she felt a presence in the Force, and saw a blue glow like a Force-ghost come off of his body. She backed away, and watched as his body burst into brilliance.

When it stopped, there was still the blue glow, and he was still, but she could hear him in her head.

"Tahiri?" He croaked as his eyes flew open, bluer than ever.

She embraced him, laughing and crying.

* * *

"That's no excuse!" Ben cried, but Luke held him back.

Rey walked closer. And closer, and closer. She had strapped the baby to her back and had activated her blue lightsaber. Jacen then threw his lightsaber away.

"Let Ben kill me, I deserve it," he croaked.

"No, I won't," Rey breathed, finally getting understanding from her twin bond. "You meant well all along. And I want you to redeem yourself. All the Knights of Ren except for the younglings are dead. Reject the name of Darth Caedus. End this war."

"I will," he said solemnly as his eyes changed from yellow to hazel. "What about Allana?"

"What about her?" Luke asked.

"Who will take care of her?" Jacen asked.

"Tenel Ka," Rey said as if it were the obvious answer.

"Didn't you hear the news?" Jacen activated a holo device. "Tenel Ka announced that she was taking on her full title of Queen Mother of the Hapes system."

"Would you take care of her, then?" Rey asked.

"I'd give her only the best," Jacen promised.

Rey took her niece off of her back. "Good luck. Thanks."

"Thank you, for giving me a second chance," Jacen said. "And may the Force be with you."


	20. Epilogue

_ELEVEN YEARS LATER. . ._

Rey Solo-Durron and Kylo Durron walked down the hall of the Star Destroyer, with Shmi skipping and leaping ahead while Jaden and Jysella, the twins, toddled on either parent, chubby hands enclosed in those worn ones of their parents. The footsteps of the seven-year-old girl's boots clanking against the floors of the Star Destroyer.

From the doors to Emperor Caedus's throne room came a regal girl with red Hapan braids and the trademark Solo smirk.

"Allie!" Shmi cried, and she hugged her cousin. "I'm so glad you're here!"

"So am I," Allana said in a voice as serious as Tenel Ka's. "Come on, Daddy, Mother, Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Luke and Uncle Ben and Aunt Zannah and Aunt Tahiri and Uncle Anakin!"

She paused for breath briefly after reciting all of the relatives' name. It was Armstice Day, the anniversary marking the day the treaty was signed that ended the war between the First Order and the Resistance, and ushered in the New Republic and the New Empire. This was a day that the whole family celebrated together. With all the Jedi and Queen Mother and Chancellor and Jedi Grandmaster and General duties, they rarely met together, so this was a rare treat.

Rey was proud of how far she'd come. She used to be a scavenger and orphan on Jakku with no hopes of ever leaving. Now she was a Jedi Master, on her own Uncle Luke's council and head of lightsaber training in the New Jedi Order. She had parents,and brothers, and a husband and three wonderful children of her own.

Kylo was equally as proud of his journey. Although he was not proud of his childhood as the Knights of Ren and as a cultist, he was grateful that he had changed. He was a Jedi Master as well, the head of lightsaber design in the Jedi Order. Thank the Force he didn't leave wires hanging out anymore (except for his old lightsaber, which he refused to fix out of the things he never wanted to forget associated with them, including the memorable time it had gotten lodged into his abdomen during a crash that had led him to Rey).

He was also proud of his true origins. Now he knew why he had felt so tied to the Vader legend. He was the grandson of Sabé, the decoy to Padmé Amidala (who she had named his mother after), and was born on Naboo, a famous place where Vader fell in love with Amidala and had had his first victory.

When the doors opened, he saw his mother and his siblings with their families waving. He went over to greet them as Rey embraced her twin, who had just turned away from Tenel Ka. Tenel Ka and Jacen had a strained but invincible marriage. Even though they had been separated often, and the court occasionally insisted that Tenel Ka sleep with someone else for publicity purposes and their own sick twisted senses of humor (not nearly as twisted as Jacen's, since he helped pick them out), they were still as fond with one another as ever.

Tahiri was chatting with Leia as she rubbed her prominent tummy and Anakin held her hand while engaging in conversation with Han.

"How's the Emperor business going?" Rey asked her brother.

Jacen shrugged. "You get used to it, after a time, but it's still stressful as always."

While he would keep the office for his lifetime, he had decreed that the moment he died, that they would elect Emperors in for terms, much like Chancellors. After all, Allana had enough to be getting on with with the Hapes business alone, much less if she was to inherit the office of Empress from her father (although they all suspected that she'd be elected into office anyway).

Rey smiled and walked away as Jacen continued to romance Tenel Ka. She walked over to Ben and Zannah, who were the only holdouts so far on having children, although Tahiri and Anakin had held out for a good eleven years against Leia's pressure to have more grandchildren.

"How are you, cuz?" She asked, ruffling his red-gold hair, which sent his wife into a bubbly fit of laughter.

"Doing fine, a few missions, one really nasty one on Korriban," Ben said. "And you?"

"Between twin terrors, Shmi, and Jedi Master Duty?" Rey asked, feeling a little older than she was. "Fine."

They all laughed at that.

"How's being a Jedi Sentinel working out for you, Zan?" Rey asked her (sister-in-law? Cousin-in-law?).

"I'm one of the best ones the galaxy's got," she said cockily as she snaked her arm around Ben's waist. "Infiltrating Sith organizations and smugglers' dens, and recruiting more little Jedi to protect the galaxy."

Rey grinned.

Shmi and Allana and their cousins on the Durron side took turn playing party games and Jysella and Jaden were enthralled by Great-Uncle Luke.

As Rey stared across the room, mug of caff in her hand, she couldn't help but think that this was a wonderful life indeed, especially as her husband kissed her on the cheek.


End file.
